Government reveal roll-out plan for greener E10 fuel in the UK
Owners of older bikes advised to check compatibility
If your bike was built before the mid90s or has a plastic tank, you might be wise to check which pump you go to at the petrol station after a decision to press ahead with E10 fuel.
E10 has a higher ethanol content (10%) compared to the current standard E5 (5%). The Government have calculated that vehicles using E10 emit approximately 2% less CO2 than those running on E5 and say it will have the equivalent effect of removing 350,000 cars from the road. The UK is arguably lagging behind with the introduction of E10, with most of Europe, and indeed much of the world, using E10 as standard at the pumps. There has been concern about compatibility of E10 with older motorcycles, as the higher ethanol content can attack certain rubber compounds used in engines and cause some plastic fuel tanks to swell. However, a quick check of the
Government’s E10 checker reveals that most motorcycles produced from the mid-1990s will be compatible. If you are unsure about your bike, you can check at www.gov.uk/checkvehicle-e10-petrol, although not all bike manufacturers have provided the necessary information. Recognising that some vehicles will not be compatible, the authorities have said that all forecourts which offer two grades of fuel should stock E5 as an option for the higher octane ‘super’ fuel. The roll out of E10 will begin from July and should be standard across all forecourts by September.
‘Engines using the new fuel emit less CO2’