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Next time you visit a petrol station, you’re likely to see information on the pump saying that E10 petrol is replacing E5 petrol. But what is the difference and why is the change in fuel grades being introduced?
E5 petrol is what you’ve been filling up your petrol car with for several years now, and E10 is its replacement. It’s already rolling out across the UK.
What is E10 petrol?
E10 consists of 10% ethanol (hence the name E10) and 90% oil-derived fuel. Based on the name, you can probably guess that the previous standard fuel grade E5 only had 5% ethanol mixed with 95% of oil-based petrol.
Ethanol produces less CO2 than regular oil-based petrol, so increasing ethanol content in our petrol from 5% to 10% should see the UK’s vehicle fleet emitting less CO2. In fact, the government expects CO2 emissions to be reduced by 750,000 tonnes.
This is equivalent to taking 350,000 cars off the road and aims to help the UK meet climate change targets prior to the ban on the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles in 2030.
Will my lease car be okay using E10 petrol?
The government states that 95% of petrol cars on the road today can use E10. All cars built after 2011 are compatible, meaning your lease car will be fine.
It is expected that classic cars, specifically models from the early 2000s, and mopeds are the only vehicles which could be impacted by the change to E10.
New vehicles manufactured from 2019 onwards should have a label within the filler cap showing the fuel grades they can use.
If your car doesn’t show this information, the government has built an online vehicle checker to confirm your vehicle compatibility.
Will it affect my lease car’s performance?
Although cleaner than E5 petrol, it is expected that E10 will slightly reduce fuel economy in your vehicle. However, the reduction is only equal to half a tank per year for the average driver, according to the AA.
My fuel tank isn’t empty. Can I mix E5 and E10 petrol?
Yes, it is perfectly safe to mix the two in the same tank. If you added half a tank of E10 petrol (10% ethanol) to half a tank of E5 petrol (5% ethanol), you’d effectively get a mix of 7.5% ethanol so it’s absolutely fine.
Can I still buy E5 petrol?
E5 petrol will still be available on petrol forecourts, but it will only be 97+ octane premium unleaded petrol.
This fuel is traditionally more expensive than regular petrol, and is mainly used with high-performance sports cars to increase efficiency.
When will E10 petrol be introduced?
The fuel will be available at petrol stations in England, Scotland and Wales from September 2021.
In Northern Ireland, the introduction is expected in early 2022. This is subject to legislative approval.
Get in touch with Hippo Leasing if you want to discuss new vehicle leases, or visit their website if you have more questions about whether car leasing is the right option for you.
This article was originally published on the Hippo Leasing website
