New, 'greener' petrol could be on forecourts up and down the country

Fri 20 July 2018 View all news

As part of a Government drive to reduce greenhouse gases, the Department for Transport has launched a consultation on whether, and how, it should introduce E10 fuel – which contains more bioethanol than traditional petrol – to the UK market.

This would help reduce carbon emissions from petrol vehicles overall, helping the UK meet its climate change targets, and builds on the considerable work that the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership and its members have done in promoting the use of renewable fuels.

At the forefront of this is the ‘E10 and AFID Fuel Labelling working group’, which is run and facilitated by the LowCVP on behalf of the Department for Transport. This brings together key stakeholders within Government and the fuel industry to achieve the smooth introduction of new fuel labels and transition to E10 petrol, as and when required.

Transport Minister Jesse Norman said: “This Government is ambitiously seeking to reduce the UK's reliance on imported fossil fuels and cut carbon emissions from transport. But drivers of older vehicles should not be hit hard in the pocket as a result.

“We have launched this consultation in order to understand the impact of E10 on the UK market better, and to ensure that drivers are protected if any changes come into effect.”

LowCVP’s Managing Director Andy Eastlake added “We fully support the introduction of E10 petrol as an effective way of lowering the CO2 emissions from the millions of vehicles on the UK’s roads. While there’s certainly more to be done in future, encouraging the use of E10 fuel has an immediate effect, with no added inconvenience for the vast majority of motorists.

"The number of older (and more polluting) incompatible cars is falling all the time, a significant proportion of which are classic or cherished vehicles. We don’t therefore see this as a major barrier.”

To meet the new Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) targets for renewable fuel announced earlier this year, fuel suppliers could choose to increase the percentage of bioethanol in petrol beyond the current 5% (E5) up to a limit of 10% (E10).

Filling up with E10 fuel reduces the greenhouse gas emissions of a petrol vehicle by around 2%; the equivalent of taking approximately 350,000 cars off the UK’s roads. The vast majority of cars manufactured since 2000 are fully compatible with E10.

The consultation also includes proposals on introducing new fuel labels at filling stations and on new vehicles to help motorists select the right the fuel.

The 8-week Government consultation closes on Sunday 16th September 2018 and will seek views on:

  • Whether and how to introduce E10 petrol in the UK
  • The reintroduction of an E5 protection grade to ensure standard petrol remains available at an affordable price
  • The introduction of new fuel labelling at petrol pumps and on new cars

Decarbonising petrol is increasingly important as the government moves towards the zero-emissions future set out in the Road to Zero strategy earlier this month.

To learn more about E10 petrol, please see the final report from the LowCVP's E10 Working Group on Successfully Deploying E10 Petrol

For more information on E10 vehicle compatibility, refer to the 2013 guidance offered by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association ACEA. Please note, this should not be considered an exhaustive list.

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