Glossary
E10 Petrol
Direct Answer / TL;DR
What is E10 Petrol?
E10 is the standard grade of unleaded petrol sold across the UK since September 2021. It contains up to 10% bioethanol blended with 90% conventional petrol, reducing carbon emissions. Most petrol cars made after 2011 are compatible.
Why does it matter for UK drivers?
E10 replaced E5 (5% ethanol) as the UK's standard petrol grade in September 2021 as part of the government's decarbonisation programme. Bioethanol is typically produced from crops such as sugar beet, wheat, or corn, and its blending reduces the carbon intensity of petrol by approximately 2% on a lifecycle basis.
Compatibility: the government estimates that approximately 600,000–700,000 older UK cars are incompatible with E10 due to rubber seals, fuel lines, and carburettors that can degrade with higher ethanol content. Cars manufactured before 1999 are most at risk. A free online checker at gov.uk/check-vehicle-compatibility-e10-petrol allows drivers to verify compatibility by make and model.
For incompatible vehicles, E5 Super (premium unleaded, RON 97+) remains the 'protection grade' — it must legally be sold alongside E10 at forecourts with 6+ pump positions. This gives classic car owners and owners of older vehicles a compliant option, though at a significant price premium.
Fuel economy: ethanol has approximately 34% less energy content per litre than petrol. This means E10 petrol is theoretically 0–3% less efficient than E5. Real-world impact depends on the vehicle and driving conditions, but most drivers won't notice the difference.
WorthThePump treats all petrol stations as selling a single 'petrol' price (which reflects the E10 price at standard pumps). If you drive a vehicle requiring E5, you should note that premium prices at the pump will be higher than the E10 price displayed.
Related terms
Further reading
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