INVESTIGATION
CUSTOMER CONFUSION OVER THE PUMPS The introduction of E10 fuel was supposed to improve things but instead many have been left scratching their heads.
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igh-octane super unleaded petrol is in short supply across the UK after the introduction of the new E10 fuel at the start of September. This blend of unleaded contains a 10 per cent ethanol mix made from fermented plants and is considered a ‘biofuel’, with a greener manufacturing process. But the lack of information around the new fuel and its suitability for certain vehicles has led to confused motorists clearing the forecourts of super unleaded, which is still refined to the previous E5 ethanol blend. One Tesco forecourt manager in Cambridgeshire reported running out of E5 fuel after his site had had a run on the company’s Momentum-branded petrol, which has an octane rating of 99 RON and is of E5 formula. Similar shortages were reported nationwide, with one driver in Cornwall claiming to have visited six sites to find no E5 available. The Department for Transport (DfT) says a fuel made from plants is closer to being carbon-neutral, as before the plants are fermented they naturally filter carbon from the air. It says the switch to E10 in the UK will reduce carbon emissions by 750,000 tonnes a year – the equivalent of taking 350,000 cars off the road. But inaccuracies with the government’s online E10 checker have left thousands of drivers unsure whether or not their cars can use the new fuel, with cars from different model years and identical engines (such as the Fiat Punto and Renault Clio) being listed as both compatible and incompatible. There have also been inaccuracies reported with more recent BMW models not being E10-suitable when they are, while the site lists some classic models such as the original VW Beetle as being safe for use with E10 when they’re not. The DfT is requiring the continued availability of a ‘protection-grade’ lower ethanol content E5 fuel for some high-performance cars and older vehicles, as they aren’t compatible with the higher ethanol content of E10. The ‘protection-grade’ fuel is the higher 10 | CarDealerMag.co.uk
Drivers who have no choice but to use super unleaded E5 petrol will be paying through the nose. RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams
