It’s 1983, and Tom Cruise rolls up to a fuel station in a ’79 Porsche 928. An attendant hobbles over to help fill ‘er up.
Attendant: Nice ride, Tom! What’s it gunna be?
Tom: Petrol, pronto. Thanks
Fast forward to 2020. Tom Cruise rolls up to a fuel station in a BMW M5. The same attendant waddles over.
Attendant: Nice ride, Tom! What’s it gunna be?
Tom: Petrol, pronto. Thanks.
Attendant: Actually…
Gone are the days where it was just petrol or diesel. The fuel menu now looks like something you can get at a Chinese restaurant, with oh so many considerations for you to bear in mind for your car. Which begs the question: What’s the best fuel for my car?
Mikaniki’s guide to fuel types
Here’s Mikaniki’s guide to these fuel types:
Petrol
Accounting for just over 60 per cent, petrol is by and large the most popular fuel type.
There are two grades of petrol available in the UAE: Special (95 Octane) and Super (98 Octane).
Don’t be fooled by the ‘Special’ label, because it’s far from it. 95 Octane petrol is basically sold all over the world, and is your bog standard, run of the mill, petrol grade, and is suitable for almost every petrol-driven car.
So what’s the diff?
Let’s take a couple of steps back here and go through some car mechanics 101.
Basically, fuel is mixed with air and then inducted into the engine cylinder during intake. The piston compresses this fuel-air mixture, and a spark ignites it, which causes combustion. The combustion gases expand to push the piston during the lower stroke in a standard 4-stroke engine.
Now, higher grade fuel will tolerate much more compression before it ignites, which reduces the chances of ‘pinking’, which is when your car ignites under compression and not because of a spark from the spark plug. We’ll go at length to explain how an engine works in another post.
Is Super fuel for me?
I know what you’re thinking. Shouldn’t I use the higher grade fuel all the time?
Not exactly.
This is where your car owner’s manual comes in handy. Take a peek once in a while, would you?
Effectively, unless you own a high performance vehicle like a Chevrolet Traverse (surprise), chances are 95 RON fuel will do just fine.
In fact, using a higher grade fuel on a car whose manual doesn’t specify it could result in damage, so just stick to the basics and don’t faf about with what you feed your car. That’s like giving someone milk when they’re lactose intolerant, all it does is cause upset tummies and heartburn.
Diesel
The diesel engine is slowly being phased out. Over the last 4 years, diesel cars have dropped from 50 per cent to 25 per cent, meaning the only Diesel you can expect to see on the road is one called Vin in Fast and Furious 20 #Dadjoke.
In the UAE, this would mostly be sold under ‘low Sulfur Diesel Fuel’ and is exclusively for use in commercial vehicles, like trucks and buses.
How’s this different from petrol?
Remember how we said earlier that in a petrol-powered car, fuel mixes with air and then inducted into the engine? Well, in a diesel powered car, only air is inducted via an air cleaner and then compressed.
Meanwhile, fuel pumps deliver fuel from the tank to the engine, keeping it under constant high pressure, so that by the time the fuel injectors feed the fuel into the combustion chambers, it’s taken the form of a very fine spray.
Air meets spray, and bam! We have…
…ignition.
Is premium diesel for me?
This depends on whether or not it’s available in your country.
Again, like with petrol, your best bet is to consult your car owner’s manual. Higher grade diesel generally offers a higher cetane rating, meaning they ignite and burn more quickly and efficiently. They also come with extra lubrication and agents that keep your engine clean, which can effectively improve performance.
Are there any advantages of going diesel?
Don’t be fooled by the ‘anti-diesel’ supremacists that harp on about how harmful diesel is for the environment.
There’s no short answer for this. On the one hand, the new generation diesel engines now emit lower levels of CO2 than petrol engines (you better believe it!). While this is true, however, they also tend to emit higher levels of NOx nitrous oxide (not to be confused with N2O).
How bad is this?
Well, if you live in a jam-packed urban city (like Dubai), then the simple answer is: pretty bad. Diesel engines have been attributed to the biggest cause of roadside pollution, especially the older gen ones.
BUT it’s not all doom and gloom for diesels.
If you’re one of those people who spends hours on the road, riding motorways or highways, commuting from one city to another, then Diesel is your friend. They’re more fuel-efficient than petrol-engines and as a bonus, can produce huge amounts of torque, although this does depend on the quality of the diesel available to you.
You can actually get some pretty decent diesel-powered cars on the market today, like a Land Rover Discovery SUV.
LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas)
LPG, or autogas, is basically ‘liquid gas’ that can be used to power cars. It comes in the form of butane and/or propane, and is basically a by-product of processing natural gas liquids.
In certain parts of the world, you can now get your petrol car converted to LPG, effectively turning them into ‘dual-fuel cars’ that run simultaneously on LPG and petrol.
LPG conversion is said to result in lower fuel bills, greater fuel-economy and fewer emissions. It sounds like a win-win-win, right?
Why don’t we all go LPG?
It’s kind of like this:
LPG fuel isn’t the most accessible, and since fuel stations aren’t stocking up on it, people are less likely to go LPG. And if people are reluctant to convert to LPG, governments won’t back it, and we’re back to square one.
Generally, as well, there isn’t much awareness raised around LPG, and how it can be beneficial to car owners. Why should there be, given the surge of electric cars? If you’re going to make a change, why bother going half way, right?
The other issue is the cost of converting to LPG. While you may argue that you’ll make your money back in the long run by saving on fuel prices, for a lot of those myopic folks out there, spending in excess of $2,500 to fit an LPG tank into your car just doesn’t sound like a good investment.
And then say, for arguments sake, you’re sold on the whole LPG thing, you get your car converted, and then further down the line you want to sell, it’s going to be hella difficult for you to find a buyer (kids, this is how Multi Level Marketing starts). Not to mention what would happen if things go bust and you need to get your car serviced in a non-LPG friendly zone. Let’s just say that’s like owning an Apple computer in remote Namibia.
As for cars that come with built-in LPG kits, eh, they’re not doing too well on the market, so yeah, there’s that too.
Is LPG for me?
Answer these questions:
Does your government actively support LPG? Can you get a car with a built-in LPG kit or easily convert to LPG? Are there fuel stations close to you that readily offer LPG fuel? Can you name at least two other people living in your city that have gone LPG?
If your answer is yes to at least 3 of the 4 questions, then by all means, go LPG. Like we mentioned, it’s great on paper, and if you’re not hampered by the limitations, then it’s a win-win-win. Otherwise, you’re better off going electric.
Biofuels
I know, I know, this sounds like something you can get on aisle 3 at Whole Foods (actually, you probably can), but this one’s an interesting revelation when it comes to alternative fuels.
Produced from renewable organic materials, biofuels are exactly what they say on the label. When it comes to cars, there are two main types on the market: bioethanol (made from corn and sugarcane) and biodiesel (sounds like a video game title, but it’s effectively made from vegetable oils and animal fats).
How they are used in cars
You’d be hard pressed to find a commercial car that runs purely on biofuels, although Elon Musk may have one lying around in his version of Dexter’s Laboratory. Although, the UK’s Department for Transport actually released figures that showed around 3 per cent of total road and non-road mobile machinery ran solely on cooking oil.
Essentially, biofuels are blended with petrol and diesel in measured amounts to make them more eco-friendly.
As it is, standard unleaded fuel already contains up to 5 per cent bioethanol, while regular diesel comes with up to 5 per cent biodiesel, so we’re not really that far off with biofuels.
Is biofuel the way to go for me?
Chances are, the fuel offered in your country is probably already a blend with biofuels. In fact, countries like Sweden and Brazil sell cars that run on 85 per cent ethanol.
Then again, some countries see biofuels as a sort of half-assed solution to alternative fuels, and so there hasn’t been massive investment into it. But who cares right? We’re all about 20 years away from electric, so yeah, like those banks in the UK, just ditch the middle man and go straight for the cannoli.
To sum this up, don’t try and fill your car up with pure rapeseed oil for crying out loud. This is not a wise idea. I get that you’re trying to “go green” and put your car on a vegan diet, but chances are you’ll be doing more harm than good.
If it’s any consolation, Emirates revealed that around one third of its bus fleet for cabin crew in Dubai will now operate on biofuel, saving 75,000 kg of CO2 emissions yearly, so yeah, there’s one fleet of transport that’s apparently thriving on a vegan diet!
Hybrid
Back in August, the UAE scrapped fuel subsidies, blowing the door wide open for alternatives. Enter the mighty Prius.
Basically, hybrids are designed to save fuel by splitting the workload between an electric motor and regular petrol or diesel engine.
How does it work?
I like to think of this as that scene in the penultimate Avengers film, when Iron Man and Bucky ganged up on Captain America.
In this case, the car’s wheels represent Cap, the engine can be Thor, while the electric motor is our Bucky Barnes.
As the car pulls away, and Cap starts rolling at speeds of up to 25 km/h, it’s Bucky who’s doing the work, leaving Iron Man to warm up. As Bucky gains momentum, and Cap starts travelling beyond that 25 km/h mark, Iron Man comes into play, effectively taking over.
When Bucky runs out of energy, the car will rely solely on Iron Man to keep up the attack on cap, keeping the ride going. Meanwhile, as the car slows down, Bucky recuperates some of that lost energy, and joins the fray for up to 2.5 kilometers more, until he’s officially pooped.
Should I get a hybrid?
Generally speaking, a hybrid is very useful if you mostly drive in and around town, as you’ll benefit from that 0 to 25 km/h feature that allows you to run on Bucky Barnes, I mean electric power, for a time, hence saving on fuel.
You might ask, why not just go electric then? Good point, and yes by all means that’s one way to go.
But if you don’t quite want to go electric, and you commute long distances, then a hybrid may not be a good idea, especially since after a certain speed, you’re mostly relying on fuel. You’re better off getting a fuel-efficient diesel.
It also comes down to how much hybrids are incentivised. Some governments offer tax credits to discount the cost of hybrids, or allow special use of a carpool lane on the highway, which encourages people to go hybrid.
As of yet, the GCC countries, including the UAE, do not offer any such incentives, but they are gradually moving towards a greener future (more hybrid taxis, more charging stations, scrapping fuel subsidies), so it’s definitely one to look out for in the future.
Ask yourself this: am I environmentally-conscious, but still not ready to go electric? Then this one may be for you, especially if you’re an environmentalist on a budget, in which case you’ve got plenty of options like a Toyota Yaris.
Electric
Tada! We’ve reached the EV station, my friends! Good bye fuel, hello lengthy waiting times at charging stations…plus don’t forget your multiple charging adapters for when you head out to Europe…
We’ve raved on and on about EVs, but the bottom line is this: many governments want to scrap petrol and diesel cars entirely by 2040, and so you’d better get used to the soundless, eco-friendly electric alternatives.
Reasons to go electric
The most important one, of course, is the environmental-friendliness. EVs have paved the way to an emission-free economy, and that’s hella good news.
The second thing is: the cost of fuel (or lack of fuel). Put it this way: for every dollar you spend on “topping up” an electric car, you’ll travel four times further than with a fuel-powered one. That means you’re saving big.
Electric cars also accelerate faster and smoother in comparison to petrol cars, and (although I don’t know if this is necessarily a perk), they make absolutely no noise at all.
Reasons not to go electric
Charging. They’re getting better with this, but at present, it’s a headache. Your car can take up to 8 effing hours to charge depending on the make and model, and in some instances, you’ll need to carry like ten different adapters to make sure you don’t get stranded.
Also, good luck if you experience battery damage and need to replace it. You’re looking at shelling out up to $15,000 for a replacement.
Finally, they’ve got limited range when compared with traditional petrol cars, which means you may find yourself needing to charge way more frequently, and if you have a small bladder, you know what this feels like.
Is an EV for me?
Ask yourself this: are you a die-hard petrolhead, who simply cannot do without listening to the growling of a V8 engine and who will not settle for a gaddamn synthetic sound from a little speaker, no matter the cost to the environment?
If you answered no, then yes, please get an EV. You’d be doing the environment (and your neighbours) a favour.
Fuel prices in the UAE
Every month, Mikaniki releases a list of fuel prices in the UAE. You can keep track of these here (although prices have basically stayed the same since April).
You may also find this piece about the difference between electric and hydrogen cars interesting.
