E10 petrol is now being rolled out in Britain

E10 petrol is now available at fuel stations across the UK and will become the default form of petrol. 

The UK government has started the rollout of E10 gasoline to pumps, claiming the fuel, which contains ethanol, could cut carbon dioxide emissions from transport by 750,000 metric tons each year. This equates to removing 350,000 cars off roads, it’s reported.

According to exports, the gasoline known as E10 is blended with as much as 10% ethanol and can be used with more than 95% of all petrol vehicles.

Going forward, E10 will become the standard grade for petrol in England, Scotland and Wales. It’s slated to be introduced to Northern Ireland next year.

E10 is already widely used in countries such as the United States, Australia and across Europe. 

British motorists with older vehicles are being advised to check if they are com[atible with the new fuel, using an online tool.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said in a statement, “Although more and more drivers are switching to electric, there are steps we can take to reduce emissions from millions of vehicles already on our roads.

“The small switch to E10 petrol will reduce greenhouse gas emissions as we accelerate towards a greener transport future,” he added.

Edmund King, president of the AA driving association, described the introduction of E10 as “a positive and simple step to help reduce the carbon impact from road transport.”

However, the RAC cited research which discovered that 27% of British drivers surveyed had not checked if their vehicle was able to use E10. In addition, 24% did not even know E10 was being introduced.

Roughly 600,000 vehicles on its roads are not expected to be compatible with E10, a previous claim by the government. The RAC said drivers of these vehicles would “have to seek out and pay for more expensive, E5 super unleaded if they wish to keep them running.”

The government’s announcement comes at a time when plans are being laid out to move away from the internal combustion engine and develop a net-zero transports sector by 2050.

The plan is to stop the sale of new diesel and petrol cars and vans by 2030 and require, from 2035, all new cars and vans to have zero tailpipe emissions.