What is midgrade gasoline and how different is it from other gas?
You notice it every time you pull up to a gas station to fill up your tank. Right in between the regular and premium gasoline options on the fuel pump, is an odd third choice: midgrade. What exactly is midgrade gas? The overwhelming majority of vehicle owners fill up their tanks with regular-grade gas. This is okay, as regular fuel’s 87 octane rating meets the standards for many new cars. But what about midgrade gasoline? Which category of vehicle and engine will it typically be used for? Read on to learn more about it!
What About Midgrade Gasoline?
Per one industry estimate, around 85 percent of gasoline that is sold in the United States is regular fuel, while around ten percent is premium gas. That puts midgrade gas at just five percent of total gasoline sales. This leads to the serious question: why do fuel retailers even bother with midgrade gas? Here is a big piece of information that many don’t know: midgrade gas technically doesn’t exist. In many cases, refineries don’t produce a midgrade gasoline blend, and instead, the middle-octane option is then blended at the fuel pump from a given gas station’s supply of premium and regular gas.
Why Does Midgrade Gasoline Exist?
Midgrade fuel started to appear in 1995, as leaded gas was beginning to be phased out. At the time, a lot of gas retailers were selling regular gas, unleaded gas, and premium unleaded gasoline. When leaded gas was starting to get phased out, many retailers were left with the infrastructure to dispense three main types of fuel but only two kinds to sell. This is where midgrade fuel was born.
Benefits from Upgrading from Regular to Midgrade Gasoline?
Only if your car’s engine begins to suffer from carbon buildup sufficient to result in pre-ignition pinging or knocking. The small octane jump, which is from 87 to 89 that occurs while moving from regular to midgrade gas, might not be enough to fix the issue, meaning a move to a pricier premium gas might be in order, or just having your vehicle or vehicle fleet repaired.
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At Howard Energy, we fully understand how your business depends on a reliable and steady supply of gasoline and diesel fuel to keep your operations at its peak. As a family-owned, commercial full-service gas and diesel fuel supplier, Howard Energy has been serving companies across Maryland, Washington DC, and Northern VA for over 25 years.
Our team of experts has a thorough knowledge of the petroleum industry to devise commercial and retail fueling solutions. As a result, we use our keen insight to build strong partnerships with commercial trucking, construction, manufacturing companies, and more. Howard Energy is proud to bring our products and services to gas stations, car dealerships, marinas, and beyond – 7 days a week with no surcharge on holidays or weekends.
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