When pure-gas.org started, they had less than 2000 ethanol-free(E0) stations listed. Now, the list is ~ 13500 E0 sources. Tho the feds penalize companies for producing E0, grassroots demand for E0 continues to grow. I think the E0 sources in New England have tripled over the years. My favorite E0 source is tucked away out of sight from the main highway. Yet, the line increases for the E0 gasoline. & my old favorite E0 station always had good business at their station. People who know their engines & E0 well, use E0.
My still owned 1988 Ford Festiva has a carburetor & occasionally from the beginning had a very very slight amount of hesitation. But it averaged ~ 42MPG, with long trips giving as high as low 50's MPG. As the decades progressed, I thought about replacing the carb with fuel injection for added smoothness. First, I tried some 100% ethanol-free gasoline (E0). Festiva's hesitation disappeared, its average MPG increased by 8%, & its highest ever tanks of gas, increased from 53MPG to 57MPG. One of my E0 trips included 11,000+ feet of mountain pass ups & downs & still got 50MPG.
I found E-15 locally and my Prime is averaging (per the dash) one of the best tanks ever. Next tank will be E0 to compare.
Not good to try and compare with two adjacent tank fulls. Run at least 2 or 3 tanks of each in a row.
Doesn't hurt. I think too, you can get a seat-of-pants impression. We got a tank of what I suspect was ethanol free regular (Chevron, up the coast in a small town), and you could do no wrong with that tank. The car went into electric only more readily, and the liters per 100 km gauge in the dash went down (good) and stayed down. It seemed absurdly easy to get good fuel economy.
I won't hurt the car but it can "hurt" any conclusion that you come to. That is called "A sample size that is too small." Also note that the pump labels usually say "up to" XX percent ethanol. You can't be sure that you are getting what you think.......especially with just ONE tank.
I've read that in BC there's a mandated amount of ethanol that must be used, as opposed to all gas must have approx 10%. And that there can be delivery complications in small towns, they tend to have straight gas more frequently. Between that and the lower real estate prices, looking better and better.
For the people unwilling to drive down deep into the low fuel warning range, it is also a matter of intermixing the two fuels, creating a blend somewhere in between. This shrinks whatever noticeable difference the two fuels may produce. This is one of the reasons Bob Wilson ran his Prii out of fuel so many times -- draining the old fuel before putting in new, while doing fuel comparisons.
Since ethanol deteriorates more quickly, I would find non-ethanol fuel (if available) if you aren't burning much fuel, and fill the tank all the way. This is how I manage fuel in my 2006 convertible - the ethanol broke down too quickly and caused spring driveability problems.
