The present disclosure relates to a gasoline combustion improver comprising an organic nitro compound with C-NO2 bond dissociation energy of about 60 to about 80 Kcal/mol of compound, wherein the organic nitro compound is selected from the group consisting of nitro-aromatics, heteroatom aromatic ring compounds, heteroatom nonaromatic ring compounds, and nitrated furfuryls, and wherein the organic nitro compound is not nitrotoluene or dinitrotoluene.