Here’s everything you need to know about the new petrol type “E10” and how to check if your vehicle is compatible

27th September, 2021

As of 1st September, unleaded petrol has changed. What was once known to be E5, has become E10. For the majority of road users, this change has no impact.  However, if your vehicle runs on unleaded petrol and was manufactured before 2011 then this change could affect you.

What’s changed?

All UK forecourts are now selling E10 as the default petrol, replacing the most commonly used regular version, E5. This cleaner petrol is part of the plan to reach the carbon neutral goal by 2050.

Whilst this may have a great impact on the environment, the new fuel may not be compatible with older vehicles and could potentially cause damage in the long run if misfuelled.

So what is E10? And is it compatible with your car?

The difference between E10 and E5 is that E5 contains just 5% of renewable ethanol, whereas the new edition contains 10%, reducing the amount of CO2-based vehicle emissions produced.

E10 petrol is already widely used around the world, including across Europe, the US and Australia.  It has also been the reference fuel against which new cars are tested for emissions and performance since 2016.

The Department for Transport estimates E10 could cut transport CO2 emissions by 750,000 tonnes a year – the equivalent of taking 350,000 cars off the road.

How do I check if my vehicle is compatible with the new E10 fuel?

*You can check if your vehicle is compatible with the new E10 petrol by visiting the official Gov.uk compatibility checker. 

To check your vehicle’s compatibility you will need to provide information on the manufacturer or make of your car.

You will then be shown a list of models that can run on E10 and those that can’t.

If you have any further queries or concerns about E10 and how your vehicle may be affected, please contact a local car dealership or your manufacturer.

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** Please note that the above information has been gathered through secondary research. The information provided is not based on our opinion. You should seek further guidance and information before making an informed decision.