Up to date ethanol content in UK petrol
Discussion
I've looked at some historic posts regarding 5/10% ethanol content in fuel, but does anyone know any up to date figures for the different suppliers (I'm in the south east)? I want to put the fuel with the lowest ethanol content in my SZ - it looks like BP and Esso super unleaded was ethanol-free a couple of years ago, but I wonder if that is still the case?
LF
LF
Im sure there will be a list online somewhere, but the pertinent facts are as below - basically dont fill up from any pump marked E10
E10
In March 2013, reflecting changes to the EN specification, the BS specification for petrol was changed to increase the maximum level of ethanol permitted in petrol from 5% to 10% by volume.
At these higher concentrations there are potential compatibility issues with some fuel system components so the standard additionally requires that any fuel sold to the new specification must be clearly labelled on the pump as ‘unleaded petrol 95 E10’. Where E10 is sold, national legislation will ensure that filling stations continue to supply an E5 ‘protection grade’ petrol for use by vehicles not compatible with E10.
90% or more of the petrol vehicles currently in service in the UK are compatible with E10 but this of course means that a significant number are not. The government is discouraging any early switch to E10 in the UK so that the number of incompatible vehicles can reduce further (through end-of-life), and fuel producers have agreed to give three months notice ahead of the eventual introduction of E10.
ETA: I read an article that says pumps should be Marked E0, E5 or E10 to show ethanol content but cant say I have ever noticed it.
E10
In March 2013, reflecting changes to the EN specification, the BS specification for petrol was changed to increase the maximum level of ethanol permitted in petrol from 5% to 10% by volume.
At these higher concentrations there are potential compatibility issues with some fuel system components so the standard additionally requires that any fuel sold to the new specification must be clearly labelled on the pump as ‘unleaded petrol 95 E10’. Where E10 is sold, national legislation will ensure that filling stations continue to supply an E5 ‘protection grade’ petrol for use by vehicles not compatible with E10.
90% or more of the petrol vehicles currently in service in the UK are compatible with E10 but this of course means that a significant number are not. The government is discouraging any early switch to E10 in the UK so that the number of incompatible vehicles can reduce further (through end-of-life), and fuel producers have agreed to give three months notice ahead of the eventual introduction of E10.
ETA: I read an article that says pumps should be Marked E0, E5 or E10 to show ethanol content but cant say I have ever noticed it.
Edited by Dodsy on Thursday 28th April 18:30
lonefurrow said:
I've looked at some historic posts regarding 5/10% ethanol content in fuel, but does anyone know any up to date figures for the different suppliers (I'm in the south east)? I want to put the fuel with the lowest ethanol content in my SZ - it looks like BP and Esso super unleaded was ethanol-free a couple of years ago, but I wonder if that is still the case?
Any pump, any brand, nationally - 95 or 98 - can be up to 5% (E5), just as it's always been since unleaded was introduced. The only difference over time is that it's become gradually more certain that it will be pretty damn close to that. Regard them all as E5, and you're probably not far off.No brand is going to guarantee anything lower. Apart from it not being a general selling point, they just physically can't. Remember - it all comes down the same pipelines to the same handful of distribution depots, where a small amount of brand-specific additives are added to the tanker. There's only a very few exceptions, and they probably vary across the country, and they probably aren't even going to be consistent across time.
E10 is coming to UK pumps, but it will have to be clearly labelled, and E5 will still be the default.
Tesco petrol, including Momentum, is up to 5% ethanol according to the info here: https://www.tescopfs.com/our-stations/faqs
lonefurrow said:
Thanks - so by the sounds of it, I *should* be able to tell from the pump if E0, E5 or E10. If not, it would be good to know if any of the super unleaded fuels still contain no ethanol.
Forget E0. It's never existed here.All petrol here is currently E5.
E10 has been in France (and probably other European countries) for years. All petrol in the US is E10. It's coming soon, and will be clearly marked.
TooMany2cvs said:
Forget E0. It's never existed here.
All petrol here is currently E5.
E10 has been in France (and probably other European countries) for years. All petrol in the US is E10. It's coming soon, and will be clearly marked.
Last time someone asked BP Ultimate was still ethanol free, except for a couple of stations in the south west. It's refined specifically to 97 RON (as opposed to 95 + ethanol and additives) which is one of the reasons it's generally more expensive than some others. I don't know if that's still the case however.All petrol here is currently E5.
E10 has been in France (and probably other European countries) for years. All petrol in the US is E10. It's coming soon, and will be clearly marked.
TooMany2cvs said:
All petrol in the US is E10.
+1And to be clear: all new passenger and light-duty vehicles sold in the US have been required, for years, to run on E10.
However, there remains a dwindling supply of completely ethanol-free petrol in the US. To locate the nearest retailer, sites like this one try to help. They also have a smartphone app.
On a related note, it's worth mentioning that about one-third of the US is a regular user of, or has easy access to, E85.
When you're over in the US, you might see SUVs, saloons, and pickup trucks with a small "FlexFuel" badge affixed to the rear. Those vehicles will run on E85 or E10. Engine mapping is autonomous; any switch between fuels requires no effort by the driver.
The problem is that you cannot define a particular brand of fuel as having no Ethanol content. It all depends upon the brand of fuel AND the refinery/depot the base stock comes from. This is also why some Shell V-Power is 98RON in some parts of the country & 99RON (without any branding changes btw) in others.
The only way to find out really is to contact all the fuel suppliers and ask if the super-fuels in your area contain Ethanol. No other way of doing it...
The only way to find out really is to contact all the fuel suppliers and ask if the super-fuels in your area contain Ethanol. No other way of doing it...
stavers said:
The problem is that you cannot define a particular brand of fuel as having no Ethanol content. It all depends upon the brand of fuel AND the refinery/depot the base stock comes from. This is also why some Shell V-Power is 98RON in some parts of the country & 99RON (without any branding changes btw) in others.
The only way to find out really is to contact all the fuel suppliers and ask if the super-fuels in your area contain Ethanol. No other way of doing it...
Where have you found 98 RON V-Power? All V-Power is made exclusively at Stanlow and shipped to every Shell garage in the country. As such it's all identical. That's what they told me, anyway.The only way to find out really is to contact all the fuel suppliers and ask if the super-fuels in your area contain Ethanol. No other way of doing it...
The Esso website currently states this (Feb 2019):
The majority of unleaded 95 Octane petrol sold in the UK contains up to 5% ethanol as required under the Government’s Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO).
There is currently no requirement for renewable fuel (such as ethanol) to be present in super unleaded (97 grade petrol).
Esso super unleaded petrol (Synergy Supreme+ Unleaded 97) is ethanol free (except in Devon, Cornwall, the Teesside area and Scotland). We would therefore advise anyone who has concerns about the presence of ethanol in petrol to use Synergy Supreme+ – providing they do not fill up in Devon or Cornwall, the Teesside area or Scotland.
The majority of unleaded 95 Octane petrol sold in the UK contains up to 5% ethanol as required under the Government’s Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO).
There is currently no requirement for renewable fuel (such as ethanol) to be present in super unleaded (97 grade petrol).
Esso super unleaded petrol (Synergy Supreme+ Unleaded 97) is ethanol free (except in Devon, Cornwall, the Teesside area and Scotland). We would therefore advise anyone who has concerns about the presence of ethanol in petrol to use Synergy Supreme+ – providing they do not fill up in Devon or Cornwall, the Teesside area or Scotland.
rainmakerraw said:
stavers said:
The problem is that you cannot define a particular brand of fuel as having no Ethanol content. It all depends upon the brand of fuel AND the refinery/depot the base stock comes from. This is also why some Shell V-Power is 98RON in some parts of the country & 99RON (without any branding changes btw) in others.
The only way to find out really is to contact all the fuel suppliers and ask if the super-fuels in your area contain Ethanol. No other way of doing it...
Where have you found 98 RON V-Power? All V-Power is made exclusively at Stanlow and shipped to every Shell garage in the country. As such it's all identical. That's what they told me, anyway.The only way to find out really is to contact all the fuel suppliers and ask if the super-fuels in your area contain Ethanol. No other way of doing it...
As mentioned - some VPower could be (no idea if it's still the case) 98RON even though the branding doesn't change so the customer won't know. I was told this by someone who worked fairly high up at Shell in the testing department.
It is very simple to add water to ones fuel, wait for the phase separation to occur and drain the water/alcohol mix from the bottom.
After this, you have 100% fuel with 0% ethanol. Add toluene/benzene/xylene until the required AKI is achieved.
Alternatively, buy 'race fuel' from VP, Sunoco, Penta etc.
Alternatively buy BTX compounds in bulk.
Alternatively replace plastics in your car which are susceptible to Ethanol (but bare in mind that petrol is already one helluva solvent, alcohol isn't all that damaging by comparison)
After this, you have 100% fuel with 0% ethanol. Add toluene/benzene/xylene until the required AKI is achieved.
Alternatively, buy 'race fuel' from VP, Sunoco, Penta etc.
Alternatively buy BTX compounds in bulk.
Alternatively replace plastics in your car which are susceptible to Ethanol (but bare in mind that petrol is already one helluva solvent, alcohol isn't all that damaging by comparison)
As an aside, I am interested in the recent phenomena of UK fuel buyers becoming concerned about Ethanol in fuel.
Ethanol has been present in UK petrol since 1992 - nobody has been even slightly bothered for the first 25 years of ethanol, it's only in years 26 and 27 that people really started to care.
Coincidentally, during that same time period we have seen significant changes to how we consume our media, much of which is now significantly more Ameicanised than it has been in the past.
I think we are picking up on our Yankee cousins ethanol concerns (mainly politically driven) and we are inaccurately superimposing their fears to our own road-fuel-situation.
Pointless sensationalism IMO.
Ethanol has been present in UK petrol since 1992 - nobody has been even slightly bothered for the first 25 years of ethanol, it's only in years 26 and 27 that people really started to care.
Coincidentally, during that same time period we have seen significant changes to how we consume our media, much of which is now significantly more Ameicanised than it has been in the past.
I think we are picking up on our Yankee cousins ethanol concerns (mainly politically driven) and we are inaccurately superimposing their fears to our own road-fuel-situation.
Pointless sensationalism IMO.
stavers said:
Well I know this is rather a late reply but I never saw this question!
As mentioned - some VPower could be (no idea if it's still the case) 98RON even though the branding doesn't change so the customer won't know. I was told this by someone who worked fairly high up at Shell in the testing department.
Well that's interesting. I don't know who your source was, but their website clearly states V-Power is 99 RON and all the Shell pumps I've used say '99 RON - E5' on them.As mentioned - some VPower could be (no idea if it's still the case) 98RON even though the branding doesn't change so the customer won't know. I was told this by someone who worked fairly high up at Shell in the testing department.
As for the other poster's comments about people worrying about ethanol all of a sudden, a modern turbo engine likes a bit of alcohol content. No complaints here.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff