How will the E10 fuel change affect you?

From September 2021 a change is coming into effect which will see UK petrol stations around the country replacing E5 as the standard grade in place of renewable unleaded E10 fuel.

This is part of the government’s initiative to improve climate change and reduce carbon emissions produced by petrol vehicles, with the aim of achieving a net-zero by 2050.¹

What is E10 petrol?

E10 is a biofuel made up of 10% renewable ethanol and 90% unleaded petrol. Ethanol is an alcohol-based fuel produced from plants and food extracts such as grains and sugarbeet² after undergoing a process of fermentation.

Current standard petrol, known as E5 fuel contains just 5% bioethanol and the rest makes up 95% unleaded petrol.²

One of the main benefits of increasing the use of ethanol in petrol is that not only is it relatively simple and inexpensive to source, but it can also help to improve climate change since ethanol absorbs CO₂ emissions as they are released into the atmosphere from petrol vehicles.²

What are the benefits of E10 fuel?

The E10 fuel blend is increasingly becoming more widely used across the world, particularly in countries such as the US, Australia and most European countries who are embracing alternative renewable energy in transportation.

Research by the Department for Transport suggests switching to E10 fuel to power high performance UK cars could significantly improve air quality by reducing carbon emissions by 750,000 tonnes a year. That’s the equivalent to taking up to 350,000 cars off the road.¹

The latest change will only apply to petrol vehicles only. Diesel fuel will not be changing.

Will my vehicle run on E10 fuel?

According to RAC, the latest E10 fuel change shouldn’t be a cause for concern for the majority of motorists since E10 will be compatible with 95% of petrol-powered vehicles. However, there will be around 600,000 vehicles that won’t be able to run on E10 fuel, RAC estimates.

How will E10 fuel effect classic cars?

The latest petrol change is most likely to effect owners of older vehicles produced from the early 2000s and classic cars. Filling up your older vehicle or classic car with E10 fuel is not recommended because prolonged use could cause lasting damage to seals, plastics and metals due to the corrosive properties of bioethanol⁴.

Will using E10 effect car insurance?

According to consumer organisation, “Which?”, 46% of vehicle and classic car insurance policies won't cover the costs of repairs if the use of E10 fuel causes damage to a car’s engine since it is the responsibility of the vehicle owner to ensure the car is filled with the correct fuel. ⁶

What if my vehicle is not compatible with E10 fuel?

If you’re unsure how the new petrol change will affect your vehicle or classic car, click HERE to check if your vehicle is compatible³.

You can also check if your vehicle, motorcycles or moped is compatible with E10 by checking the user manual, contacting the vehicle manufacturer or ask advice from the garage you take your vehicle to its MOT.

If your vehicle is not compatible with E10 petrol, you will still be able to purchase E5 fuel by choosing a ‘super’ grade fuel, which will be clearly labelled from most service stations. Although, drivers of non-compatible cars could find the cost of using super unleaded E5 petrol to be slightly more expensive than standard petrol.

If your car is compatible with E10 petrol then it is safe to fill the tank with a combination of both E5 and E10 fuel.

Will E10 affect fuel economy?

The Department for Transport predicts a 1% decrease in fuel economy when using E10 petrol given that ethanol is less energy dense than current standard petrol.

Other factors such as your driving style or driving with under-inflated tyres or a roof rack will have a more significant impact on fuel economy than using E10 petrol⁵.

When will E10 fuel be available?

Starting from September 2021, E10 fuel will become the standard petrol grade in the UK and will be available at almost all petrol stations across England, Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland, the new change is likely to happen in early 2022, subject to legislative approval⁵.

The introduction of E10 petrol is a huge step forward for the UK transport sector as it moves towards a greener sustainable future.

Sources

1. Department for Transport - Introducing E10 Petrol: Consultation Introducing E10 petrol: consultation (publishing.service.gov.uk)

2. GOV.UK Fuelling a greener future: E10 petrol set for September 2021 launch Fuelling a greener future: E10 petrol set for September 2021 launch - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

3. GOV.UK Check if your vehicle can run on E10 petrol Check if your vehicle can run on E10 petrol - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

4. BBC E10 petrol: What is it and can my car run it? E10 petrol: What is it and can my car run it? - BBC News

5. GOV.UK E10 petrol explained E10 petrol explained - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

6. Which? Revealed: six surprising things your car insurance won’t cover https://www.which.co.uk/news/2018/03/revealed-six-surprising-things-your-car-insurance-wont-cover/