E10 to be introduced in 95RON petrol
Government Decision on e10 Petrol
In line with the feedback received to this consultation, we can confirm that we’ll introduce legislation as soon as possible to require fuel suppliers and retailers to introduce E10 petrol in the standard 95-octane petrol grade by 1 September 2021. We’ll also require the higher-octane ‘Super’ grade to remain E5 to provide protection for owners of older vehicles.
Subject to parliamentary approval, the introduction of E10 at forecourts will occur during summer 2021 supported by a comprehensive communications campaign.
The initial legislation will apply to Great Britain only. In line with our obligations under the Northern Ireland Protocol, we’ll also notify the European Commission of our intention to legislate for the introduction of E10 in Northern Ireland to ensure regulations are in place before the September 2021 change in petrol grade.
This will:
Ensure the change in the main petrol grade can be as smooth as possible
Secure additional capacity to blend biofuel and displace fossil fuels in road transport
Improve the domestic market for our valuable ethanol producers and the farming sector that supply them
The Ethanol Issue - Are you Affected?
The UK Government’s own analysis shows that there are around 1 million petrol cars registered in the UK that are not approved for use with E10, as well as a significant number of motorbikes and scooters. Many of these are classics, but around half are less than 25 years old.
Ethanol blended petrol is less harmful to the environment than unblended petrol, with less carbon monoxide emission produced. The disadvantage of ethanol blended petrol is that it isn’t suitable for all vehicles, especially older vehicles.
Ethanol blended petrol is acidic. In unapproved vehicles it can cause corrosion in the fuel system.
Valvemaster and Valvemaster Plus protect your vehicle from the harmful effects of ethanol in petrol.
The Government have produced a vehicle checker to see whether your vehicle is compatible with E10 petrol: