MIT-based startup
Ethanol Boosting Systems has another use for fuel that goes way beyond E85 fuel in terms of reduced emissions and
increased fuel efficiency. Best of all, the added cost of the EBS solution is said to be less than $1,000.
EBS uses as-needed direct injection of ethanol in a turbocharged gasoline-fueled engine to boost the overall fuel
octane rating to more than 130. The high octane rating allows the engine to use massive levels of turbo boost without
lowering the engine’s compression. To make a long story short —lots of power and torque can be produced very
efficiently by a small engine, with a 1.5-liter 4 cylinder EBS engine producing roughly the same performance as a
3.0-liter V6, using much less fuel.
A really interesting aspect of the EBS solution is the low quantity of
ethanol needed to enable a car with the fuel efficiency of a hybrid – a two- to six-gallon auxiliary ethanol tank would
last for two to four months of driving.
Much more info at the EBS site here.
[Thanks for the tip, Kevin!]