The compatibility of bio-hydrocarbon gasolines with standard engines depends on their final blended properties.

The different production methods yield blending components that must be managed to meet final fuel specifications. For instance, the light C3-C6 hydrocarbons from Virent's process have limited use in gasoline pools. Similarly, high-aromatic blending stocks from pyrolysis oil hydroprocessing are subject to regulatory limits.

Ultimately, final products containing synthetic or bio-derived components must fulfill the same requirements as regular gasoline. For example, a study by Larsen et al. (2007) used a gasoline containing 70% FT product in a standard VW Golf 1.6 FSI (model year 2003) passenger car. Another study (Aakko-Saksa et al. 2011) confirmed that blending a renewable hydrocarbon component with bio-oxygenates enabled a high bio-energy content in gasoline without losing compatibility with conventional gasoline cars.