Only fuels and horses
E10 is greener but also less powerful. Here’s the full lowdown
NO DOUBT YOU HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE signs at the pumps telling you that petrol has changed and have spotted the E10 signage. So what exactly is different and how does it affect someone who enjoys driving?
In a bid to reduce CO2 emissions, all standard-grade unleaded petrol sold in the UK must now contain ten per cent ethanol, the alcohol-based fuel created from organic materials such as grains, sugars and waste wood. By doubling the amount of ethanol in regular unleaded it is estimated that the CO2 emissions produced on our roads each year will be reduced by the equivalent of a million car’s worth.
However, a consequence of increasing the level of ethanol in unleaded petrol means the fuel your engine burns will generate less energy, and that means you will need to use more E10 petrol to achieve the same levels of performance as you would with E5 or ethanolfree petrol. Despite the good intentions of E10 petrol, the consequence of burning more fuel, regardless of it being cleaner, does seem a backwards step. One study has suggested that
E10 reduces fuel economy by around three per cent compared with ethanol-free fuel.
There are other factors to consider when it comes to E10, too. All cars manufactured post 2011 ‘should’ be OK to run on the new fuel (manufacturer and government websites have checkers you can use) and some built before this date could also run trouble-free on E10, but you’d be foolish not to investigate the specific requirements of your car(s). If E10 isn’t compatible, E5 will still be available, but only in more expensive superunleaded form.
You should also be aware that ethanol absorbs water, so if your car is parked up for long periods of time it will pay to keep the tank as dry as possible to avoid diluted fuel sitting in the bottom of the tank. E10’s higher ethanol content is also corrosive to rubber parts in fuel lines, pumps, plastics and some metals, which is something else to consider with older cars. Ethanol-compatible materials are available for some engines, but the safest bet is to use higher octane E5 fuel, which the fuel industry says will still be in circulation for ‘at least’ the next five years.