Our petrol is changing

Do you know about the new petrol changes?

This summer the standard E5 petrol grade (known as 95 Octane or “unleaded”) that we are used to seeing, will become E10. It is being introduced to help reduce CO2 emissions associated with petrol vehicles and is already widely used around the world including across Europe, Australia and the US.

Make sure you are aware of the petrol changes and how it could affect you as a small number of vehicles are not compatible with E10. An awareness campaign has been launched by the government this month, but here is a quick overview:

What is E10 Petrol?

E10 petrol contains up to 10% renewable ethanol, a low carbon fuel that can be blended to reduce the amount of fossil fuel in petrol. The current standard unleaded petrol E5 only contains up to 5% ethanol.

How do I know if my vehicle is compatible with E10?

Most vehicles will be compatible with this new grade of petrol, including all cars built since 2011. You can use this online E10 vehicle compatibility checker, which has been issued by The Department for Transport, to find out if your car, motorcycle or moped can use E10 fuel. If you have a diesel vehicle, these changes will not affect you.

What if I can’t use E10?

The Department of Transport estimates around 5% of vehicles will not be able use the E10 fuel. For petrol vehicles not compatible with E10, they will need to keep using E5 petrol, which will remain available in the ‘super’ grade of petrol (97+ octane).

Incorrectly fuelling a vehicle with E10 petrol will not cause immediate harm, but if it is used regularly it could damage engine parts over time.

Therefore, if you find yourself in a position where you urgently need to refuel and E5 is not available, then it is recommended to refuel with the minimum amount of E10 and then fill up with E5 as soon as you are able to get to a forecourt that sells it. Unlike putting petrol into a diesel engine, you shouldn’t need to drain the tank.

If you’d like to know more, please check out the government link E10 fuel explained, and if you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to call us on 020 8977 5865