Flex Fuel Vehicles in Brazil

Henry Joseph Jr.

ANFAVEA
Energy & Environment Affairs Commission

Brasília, March 22th, 2013.

ANFAVEA - Brazilian Vehicle Manufacturers Association

 The Brazilian Automobile Industry

Local Manufacturers (2012) - 26 companies

Net Revenue (2011) - US $ 121,3 billions
Investments (1994 ~ 2011) - US $ 61,0 billions
Total Tax Generation (2011) - US $ 31,4 billions
Share of Industrial GDP (2011) - 21,0 %
Employment (direct + indirect) (2011) - 1. 500.000 heads

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 The Brazilian Automobile Industry
Production Volume (2002 ~ 2012)
3.500.000

Production
Country
(2011)
3.000.000

1st China 18.419.000

2.500.000
2nd USA 8.654.000
3rd Japan 8.399.000

2.000.000 4th Germany 6.311.000

3.407.861
3.382.143

3.342.617
5th South Korea 4.657.000

3.076.000
3.050.631
2.825.279

1.500.000 6th India 3.936.000

2.403.693
2.357.763
2.124.177

7th Brazil 3.407.861

1.684.715

1.000.000
8th Mexico 2.680.000
9th Spain 2.354.000
500.000
10th France 2.295.000
11th Canada 2.135.000
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
12th Russia 1.988.000

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 The Brazilian Automobile Industry
Production Profile (2012) Domestic Market (2012)

Passenger Cars 2.623.704 78,5% Locally Produced 3.007.006 79,1 %

Light Commercials 549.249 16,4% Imported 795.065 20,9 %

Trucks 132.820 4,0% Argentina 349.168 43,9%

Imported From
South Korea 151.875 19,1%
Buses 36.844 1,1%
Mexico 109.033 13,7%
China 61.548 7,7%
To Domestic Market 2.900.542 86,8 %
Germany 53.016 6,7%
To Export Market 442.075 13,2 % Others 70.425 8,9%

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The Brazilian Automobile Industry

Automobile Fleet (2011)

Total Fleet: 34.654.969 vehicles

(5,5 inhabitants / vehicle)

(2 wheel vehicles, tractors and agriculture machinery are not included)

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 The Brazilian Ethanol Fuel Program

“PROALCOHOL”
This energy program was adopted by the Brazilian Government in 1975 due to the
international oil crisis, aiming 2 applications:
1) to blend high volume of ethanol in gasoline (more than 15%);
2) to incentive the development of 100% ethanol fueled engines.

. ALCOOL .

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 High volume content of ethanol in gasoline

Due to the ethanol availability (it’s a byproduct of sugar

production), experiments with ethanol fueled vehicles
were performed in Brazil since 1920;

In the time of World War (imported oil rationing), gasoline

blended with ethanol (up to 5%) was intensely employed
in Brazil with good results;

Since then, Brazil has continuously added different levels

of ethanol in gasoline:
1938 ~ 1966 ⇒ 0% to 25%
1966 ~ 1981 ⇒ 10% to 14%
1981 ~ 1982 ⇒ 18% to 22%
1982 ~ today ⇒ 20% to 25%

Officially, the vehicles are certified for 22% ± 1% (E22).

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ANFAVEA - Brazilian Vehicle Manufacturers Association
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 100% Ethanol Fueled Vehicles

From 1979 on the Brazilian automobile industry started to offer vehicles adapted to
100% ethanol fuel (E100).
At that time, the Brazilian Government also took some measures to incentive the
use of ethanol (fuel price control, subsided loans to ethanol producers, obligation
for all fuel stations to offer ethanol, tax reduction for ethanol fueled vehicles, etc.).
Consequently, the E100 vehicle sales was a big success.
1.000
1979 to 1989
900
800
700
600
500
Units (x 1.000)

400
300
200
100
0
1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989
Ethanol (E100) Gasohol (E15~E25)
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 The PROALCOHOL Crisis

Due to economic problems, in 1987 the ethanol subsides were removed and its
price became more expensive and closer of gasoline. In 1989, due to the inflation
and price control, the ethanol producers decided to export more sugar causing a
market ethanol shortage.

Therefore, the sales of 100% ethanol fueled vehicles were seriously affected.

2.000 1989 to 1999

1.800
1.600
1.400
Units (x 1.000)

1.200
1.000
800
600
400
200
0
1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999
Ethanol (E100) Gasohol (E15~E25)
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 Ethanol again?

At the end of 1990s, the ethanol supply was normalized and the price became
stable and cheap;
The “clime changes” became a matter of great concern and the renewable fuels
started to be valorized by the media, including ethanol.
So, the customers started to have interest on ethanol again.

60.000
E100 Fueled Vehicles Sales
55.961
50.000

40.000

30.000
18.335
20.000 10.947 10.292

10.000 1.224

0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

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 Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFV)

Introduced in the Brazilian Market in March of 2003.

At this moment: 13 brands and 163 models.

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 The Fuel Recognition System

The Flex Fuel are designed to be indistinctly fueled with gasoline (E22), ethanol
(E100) or any blend of these two fuels. For the customers, it means to choose the
fuel at each vehicle filling, according to fuel price, characteristics of quality,
performance or even availability.

Through some special electronic sensors, the on-board computer recognizes the
fuel and properly adjust the engine combustion parameters, without any
interference from the driver.

Sensors

Gasoline Alcohol

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 0,0
20,0
40,0
60,0
80,0
100,0

13
jan/03

mai/03

set/03

jan/04

mai/04

set/04

jan/05

% E22 Only
mai/05

set/05
Flex Fuel Sales

jan/06

mai/06

set/06

jan/07

mai/07

set/07

% E100 Only
jan/08

mai/08

set/08

jan/09

mai/09

set/09
FFV sold

jan/10
% Flex Fuel
18,3 millions of

mai/10

set/10

jan/11

mai/11

set/11

jan/12
% Diesel

mai/12

set/12

jan/13
87,0%

7,5%

ANFAVEA - Brazilian Vehicle Manufacturers Association

 The Brazilian Ethanol Fuel

2 different kinds of ethanol:

Application:
Fermentation “Hydrous”
Sugar Cane & Ethylic Alcohol To use as straight fuel.
Distillation
(~ 6,8% H2O) (E-100)

Application:
Drying “Anhydrous”
Ethylic Alcohol To blend with gasoline.
Process
(< 0,7% H2O) (E-20 ~ E-25 )

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 The Technology to Use Ethanol Fuel

Technically, the use of ethanol brings some concerns on:

• Compatibility with metallic materials (corrosion);
• Compatibility with plastic or rubber materials (chemical attack);
• High fuel consumption (low energy content);
• Loss of drivability (change of combustion air/fuel ratio);
• Difficulty in the engine cold start (low vapor pressure).

1. Percentage of ethanol blended at gasoline;

However, it all depends of: 2. Ethanol fuel specification and quality;

3. The vehicle technological level (age).

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 Eventual Modifications for Ethanol

Electronic Fuel Injection Cold Evaporative

Intake
or Start Emission
Manifold
Carburetor System System

Fuel Catalytic
Pump Converter

Fuel Fuel
Filter Tank

Fuel
Ignition Basic Motor Exhaust
Pressure
System Engine Oil Pipe
Device

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 Probably Necessary Modifications
(Otto Cycle Engines)

Fuel Injection 2nd Gen.

Fuel Injection 1st Gen.

Fuel Pressure Device

Evaporative System
Fuel Pump 2nd Gen.

Catalytic Converter
Fuel Pump 1st Gen.

Cold Start System

Exhaust System
Ignition System

Intake Manifold
Basic Engine
Fuel Filter

Fuel Tank

Motor Oil
Fuel
Ethanol
Content

≤ 10% - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For any vehicle - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

10 ~ 15% - - - - - - - - - - - For fleets up to 10 years old - - - - - - - - - - - -

15 ~ 25%

25 ~ 85%

≥ 85%

- Not Necessary - Probably Necessary

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 Engine and Vehicle components changes

Motor: Higher compression ratio. Valves with new

profile and protected against corrosion.

Inlet Manifold: Optimized geometry to reach quickly the

ideal temperature after cold start

Fuel supply: Every plastic and metallic parts must resist

to Gasoline and also Ethanol.

Catalytic converter: The type and amount of noble

metals must be adjusted.

Exhaust system: Internal surface of pipes must be

protected against oxidation. The dimension considers
high water level inside the pipes.

Ignition system: Different ignition timing for each fuel.

Spark plugs with optimized heat value .

18 ANFAVEA - Brazilian Vehicle Manufacturers Association

 Engine and Vehicle components modification
Cold start system: As the ethanol does not
evaporate at low temperatures, it is
necessary a small tank with gasoline for
helping cold start.
The additional tank is not necessary with
mixtures up to 85% ethanol (E85).
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ECU and Software: Additional functions are
included to determine ethanol ratio in fuel and
calculate fuel injection amount and ignition time.
Fuel filter: Filter element material and its porosity
must be arranged.
Pressure regulator: The fuel pressure must be
increased. Internal surface must be protected
against corrosion.
Fuel injectors and lambda sensor: The fuel injectors
must be protected against corrosion. The lambda
sensor will determine the air/ fuel ratio for every
possible mixture.
Fuel pump: It must provide fuel in higher pressure
and flow. Internal components must be protected
against corrosion.
ANFAVEA - Brazilian Vehicle Manufacturers Association
Evolution in flex vehicles: Electric Cold Start

In 2009, it was introduced the first flexible vehicle produced in Brazil that doesn’t
need the injection of gasoline to support the cold start.

This vehicle has an electrical heater that works integrated with the injectors and
warms the ethanol (when it is necessary), assuring a perfect start of the engine
even at low temperatures.

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Ethanol Engines: Relative Performance

160

140

144,0 %
120

100

80

105,3 %
110,0 %

106,4 %

109,0 %
103,2 %

95,5 %
103,3 %

102,1 %
60

89,3 %
40

20

0
Power Torque Max Speed Acc Time Consumption
(0~100 km/h) (L/100km)
Gasoline 0% Gasohol 22% Ethanol 100%
Three different vehicles of same model, each one adjusted and
calibrated to an specific fuel.

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 Fuel Consumption

E0 E22 E100

Energy Content: 31,65 MJ/L 28,99 MJ/L 20,09 MJ/L

Fuel Consumption: 1,0 L/100km 1,09 L/100km 1,58 L/100km

+ 9% + 44%
Autonomy for 1,0 L: 100,0 km 91,7 km 63,3 km

Ethanol Price must be ≤ 70 % of E22 price

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 Thank you

henry.joseph@volkswagen.com.br

23 ANFAVEA - Brazilian Vehicle Manufacturers Association