AS Britain gears up to welcome a new, greener fuel, many drivers are scratching their heads.
So if you’re confused about E10 and mixing things up at the pump, we’ve got you covered.
Petrol is getting a makeover in the UK and will become E10 from September 2021.
It contains up to 10 per cent renewable ethanol to help tackle climate change and is considered a greener option.
Stations that offer two grades of petrol will stock E10 (95 octane) and E5 (97+ octane).
Thankfully, around 95 per cent of petrol-powered vehicles on the road are compatible with E10 petrol and this figure is increasing all the time, according to the government.
However, if your car won’t run on the new E10 fuel, you can continue to use E5 petrol in the “super” grade – 97+ octane.
If your vehicle is compatible with E10 petrol, there’s no reason why you can’t mix the two grades – E5 97+ and E10 95+.
It’s perfectly safe to combine them in the same tank or fill up with E5 if E10 is not available and it won’t cause any damage to your vehicle.
If you are running low on E10 and come across a station that doesn’t stock it, it is also fine to fill up with the old E5 95.
Mixing premium unleaded (95) and super unleaded (97/98) evenly in your tank will give you a mixed-grade petrol of around 96 octane rating number.
While this is unlikely to cause major damage to your car, the RAC recommends sticking to the octane recommended for your vehicle.
This will ensure efficient performance and avoid engine damage.
An expert from the AA said: “Mixing the 95 and 98 octane fuels will not cause any problems.”
When it comes to which fuel is best for your car, it is always best to check the manual.
Some vehicles will run optimally on standard premium unleaded, while others run more efficiently on higher octane fuels like super unleaded.
According to the RAC, as a general rule, drivers can fill up with a higher octane fuel than is recommended, but should steer clear of using one that is lower.
While a tank of higher octane may have no discernible advantages or even differences, a lower option could cause damage to your engine.
Premium unleaded is the most common and cheapest type of petrol which can be used in almost all petrol vehicles.
This will be replaced with E10 for 95 per cent of drivers from September 2021.
Super unleaded is the best for high-performance vehicles and is widely available, while premium fuel is the best high-octane petrol.
Manufacturers of premium fuels claim they offer “improved lubrication, cleaning action and a higher performance”.
