Can methanol replace gas as fuel?

Question

With the price of gas going up and up.

I was wondering if gas can be replaced with methanol and if so at what percentage?

Does methanol burn at the same rate as gasoline?

Has anyone already done this?

Answer 1

There is no one replacement, but many.  As no one can read the future, who knows what will or will not be the answer.

Answer 2

Methanol has long been used as a fuel by race cars, but it has terrible corrosion issues because of its propensity to absorb water.  Ethanol is a better choice, but even that reminds me of the previous ethanol boom where unscrupulous service station owners would spike the gasoline with methanol because it was cheaper than ethanol.

Answer 3

Yes, I have a 2000 Dodge Ram van that runs completely on Methanol (natural gas) that is compressed in a tank.  This is where the term CNG (compressed natural gas) came from.  I go to the gas stations here in San Diego that have CNG pumps and fill it right up.  Cost is about $2.59 per gallon (but you can do way better than that for price in your own home - remember... we already have the infrastructure for natural gas, its in almost every home,,, and with a slow fill compressor that is on the market, you can fill your tank overnight for alot less).  Everything is converted at the pump for GGE (gasoline gallon equivalence) and I get the same mileage per gallon as normal gasoline.  Emissions and carbon output of my vehicle are about 70% less than a gasoline engine.  I cant tell the difference,, I step on the gas, the motor revs,,, and I go flying down the southern california freeways (in the carpool lane by myself since it qualifies for that).  So,,, why arent we looking at Natural gas vehicles (natural gas is readily available right here in North America for cheaper) as a problem solver ?  Hmmm, you tell me.  God Bless America.

Answer 4

Methanol has less energy per unit volume than gasoline so it takes more to get the same power.  The most practical solution to the so called " oil crisis" is to drill the existing oil from Anwar and off the coast, where there is more than under all of Saudia Arabia.