Although E10 fuel replaced E5 petrol at the pumps, not all cars are able to run on it. We'll look at that in more detail in a moment. First though, let's take a look at why the Government decided to introduce E10 fuel...
In a bid to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the UK, the Government decided to change the standard grade of petrol from 95% octane and 5% ethanol (known as E5 at the petrol pumps) to a mix that contains 10% renewable ethanol and the rest octane. No prizes for guessing where the name E10 originates from.
By changing the mix of the fuel, the level of CO2-based vehicle emissions should be reduced. The Government anticipates that this could cut transport CO2 emissions by up to 750,000 tonnes a year. To put that into a little more perspective, that's equivalent to taking 350,000 cars off the road.
With E10 petrol already in use across much of the developed world, including Europe, the US and Australia, E10 is the fuel that's been used to test a cars performance and emissions since 2016.
However, the UK Government recognises that E10 petrol can see a slight reduction in fuel economy, though this is like to be only around 1%.
Before introducing E10 fuel the UK Government carried out an impact assessment and found that using E10 fuel was likely to cost around 0.2p per litre more than E5 petrol. That equates to a £1 increase when filling up a 50-litre fuel tank on your car.
Currently, E10 makes up 7% of the cost of a litre of petrol. This is 11.51p based on the latest fuel prices, which have risen dramatically in 2022 due to the impact of Russia's war on Ukraine and subsequent sanctions.
Around 95% of petrol-powered vehicles are compatible with E10 fuel. But how do you know if your car is compatible with E10 petrol? The good news is that all new cars manufactured since 2011 are compatible with E10 petrol. However, there are some cars that might not be compatible with E10 petrol:
If you want to double-check if your car is compatible with E10 petrol, then we've compiled a quick reference E10 fuel checker at the bottom of the page. You'll find all major manufacturers covered and you'll be able to easily see which models will and won't run on E10 fuel. Otherwise you can use the Government's E10 vehicle checker.
If you find your car isn't compatible with the new E10 petrol - and there's estimated to be around 600,000 cars on the road that aren't able to happily run on E10 fuel - then you've got a couple of options.
First up is the option of using Super Unleaded or Premium petrol, with these having 97 and 99 octane. The Government has said that these fuels will continue to be available and should provide better performance. You will pay more for these fuels though.
Alternatively it might be time to look at part exchanging your current older car if it isn't compatible and look for something a bit newer that will happily run on E10 (or even electric). You can get a valuation for your car so you know what you can expect to get for it when you trade it in. Check out our guide to the best electric cars or best family cars as a starting point.
There are a number of reasons why continued use of E10 fuel in some cars is not recommended. Fuel containing ethanol can turn corrosive if left in long-term storage, while ethanol's high solvency can affect seals and gaskets used in some fuel systems. Finally, combustion can be affected, with ethanol affecting cold start performance.
Unlike putting diesel in a petrol car or petrol in a diesel car, you don't need to drain the tank to avoid permanent damage to your car and engine if you put E10 fuel in your car by mistake.
The Government suggests that putting E10 petrol in a non-compatible car on a one-time basis should not result in your car's engine being damaged as a result. That said, it recommends avoiding prolonged use of E10 petrol in a non-compatible car as this can result in long term harm to the engine.
If you do fill up with E10 fuel, don't panic - just remember to fill up with super unleaded or premium fuel next time. It might even be worth topping up with one of these fuels once you've used up some petrol and you've got some space in the fuel tank.
Any Alfa Romeo with a petrol engine produced from January 1st, 2011 is cleared to run on E10 petrol. As well as this, E10 fuel is also cleared for use in the following petrol Alfa Romeo models:
E10 fuel is compatible with all Audi petrol cars with the following exceptions:
The good news is if you own a BMW, all petrol-powered models are cleared to be used with E10 petrol regardless of their age. BMW does say though that you should observe the minimum octane required according to the owner's manual. That shouldn't be an issue for most owners, but those with performance variants (like the M3 or M5 for example), should carry on using super unleaded or premium fuels.
All Citroën cars with petrol engines made since January 1st, 2000 are compatible with E10 petrol.
All petrol-powered Dacia cars are compatible with E10 petrol.
E10 petrol is cleared for use with all Fiat cars with petrol engines (Euro 3 emission levels or newer), starting from 2000. There are a couple of exceptions however which shouldn't be used with E10 petrol:
All petrol-powered Ford cars made after 1992 are cleared to run on E10 fuel with the exception of the Ford Mondeo 1.8 litre SCI (2003 to 2007). Ford also states though that personal imports not approved by Ford are not included.
E10 petrol is cleared for use in all European Honda models with petrol engines equipped with Honda's electronic control fuel injection system (HONDA PGM-FI). This technology was first introduced in the early 1980s and used in most of the brand's petrol engines - check the owner's manual if you're unsure.
All Jaguar cars with petrol engines made from 1992 are cleared to run on E10 petrol.
All petrol-powered Jeep cars are compatible with E10 petrol.
According to Kia, it approves the use of petrol with an ethanol content up to 10%, which includes E10 petrol. However, Kia does state that should you experience any problems from driving with E10 fuel to stop using it and instead use super unleaded or premium unleaded.
All Land Rover petrol-powered vehicles made from 1996 are cleared to run on E10 petrol.
All European Lexus models with petrol engines made after January 1998 are cleared to run on E10 fuel. There are a couple of exclusions though:
Petrol-powered Mazda cars are compatible with E10 fuel if they were introduced in 2002 onwards.
All Mercedes-Benz petrol-powered vehicles are compatible with E10 petrol with a couple of exceptions:
All MINI petrol models launched after 2000 are cleared to run on E10 petrol.
Unless you have a GDI engine (gasoline direct injection) all Mitsubishi petrol cars are compatible with E10 petrol.
If your petrol Nissan was built after January 1st, 2000, then it's cleared to be used with E10 petrol.
All Peugeot cars with petrol engines made since January 1st, 2000 are compatible with E10 petrol.
E10 petrol is cleared for use in all Porsche cars with petrol engines since 1998 (though if you have a 1997 Boxster, that's also compatible).
E10 fuel is compatible with all Renault petrol cars sold since 1997 with the following exceptions:
E10 petrol is compatible in the following SEAT models with petrol engines:
E10 petrol is cleared for use in all Skoda vehicles with petrol engines with the following exception:
E10 petrol is cleared for use in all petrol engine Smart vehicles.
All Subaru cars made after January 1st, 1991 are cleared to run on E10 petrol with the following exceptions:
Suzuki states that E10 petrol is cleared for use in all current production models with petrol engines, though for older models it asks you to refer to the owner's manual.
E10 petrol is cleared for use in all European Toyota petrol engined models made from January 1998, excluding:
Petrol-powered Vauxhall cars are cleared to run on E10 petrol with the following exceptions:
E10 fuel is compatible with all Volkswagen petrol cars with the following exceptions that used the first generation of FSI engines:
E10 petrol is compatible for use in all Volvo cars with petrol engines introduced to the market since 1976. Volvo does state though that this is based upon servicing and other conditions according to the equipment and material with which the vehicle was originally equipped.
E10 petrol is not cleared for a limited number of S40 and V40 models with petrol engines produced in the mid-1990s with a 1.8 litre GDI engine.