Where can I get E5 petrol if my vehicle is not compatible with E10? E5 petrol will continue to be available at most bp sites (all those selling two grades of petrol) in the 'super' petrol grade, bp Ultimate Unleaded with ACTIVE technology, which is labelled as E5. Find out more about bp Ultimate fuels.
Since its introduction in September 2021, E10 has replaced E5 fuel as the standard petrol grade in the UK. E5 fuel is now considered 'super' grade, and although all major petrol stations still stock it, it's more difficult to come by at rural or remote stations, who may only stock E10.
If your vehicle or equipment is not compatible with E10 fuel, you are still able to use E5 by purchasing Shell V-Power grade petrol from most Shell service stations.
E5 petrol contains 5% ethanol. The new E10 fuel, containing 10% ethanol, only applies to standard petrol; super-unleaded is still E5.
The Petrol Retailers Association stated that 'E5 will still be available in five years' time, but only as the protection grade in 'super'. It will be reviewed in five years' time. '
E5 petrol corresponds to the fuels SP95-E5 and SP98-E5. E5 means that the petrol contains up to 5% bioethanol, blended with unleaded 95 or 98. E10 petrol, or SP95-E10, is unleaded 95 enriched with 10% bioethanol.
Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's update customers
Sainsbury's and Esso have said E5 petrol will be available across the vast majority of its garages.
The regular 95 octane petrol that currently comes out of the green pump at a fuel station is known as E5.
E5 petrol is made up of 95 per cent unleaded petrol plus 5 per cent ethanol (which is why it's named 'E5'). E10 petrol is much more beneficial to the environment, containing 10% ethanol and 90% regular unleaded petrol – and was introduced to help the government meet its climate change targets.
E5 will remain available at most (but not all) BP Petrol Stations and known as BP Ultimate.
Mixing E10 and E5 petrol
If your vehicle is compatible with E10 petrol, there's no reason you can't mix the 2 grades of petrol (E5 97+ and E10 95+). It's perfectly safe to mix them in the same tank or fill up with E5 if E10 is not available.
What's the problem for classic cars? Although many cars run on E5 without significant problems, doubling the amount of ethanol in the fuel can cause a variety of issues in olders cars. Ethanol is hygroscopic, which means that it absorbs water from the atmosphere. And that water, in turn, finds its way into your car.
E10 is a type of petrol that is replacing E5 as the standard unleaded petrol at UK fuel stations. It contains more ethanol and less fossil fuel than E5, so the government hopes it will go some way towards reducing carbon emissions.
Our premium fuels – bp Ultimate Unleaded and bp Ultimate Diesel - contain ACTIVE technology, our advanced, innovative engine cleaning formula which is specially designed to remove harmful engine dirt and protect against its build up.
It's a lot about additives. I rate BP Ultimate diesel as best all-round for fuel economy as well as fuel system treatment. Shell V-Power diesel has the best lubricity for the fuel injection pump but does not achieve quite the same economy.
bp Ultimate Unleaded has a higher octane (97 RON minimum) than the minimum 95 RON required by law for petrol in the UK.
With that said, E10 petrol has less energy per litre than E5 or petrol with no ethanol, so, like we said, your car will almost certainly burn more of it. Which then means you have to fill up more often. So it'll probably end up costing more, by dint of the fact that you'll have to use more.
Where E5 is 95 percent unleaded petrol and five percent ethanol, E10 is 90 percent unleaded petrol and 10 percent ethanol. “Ethanol is made during the fermentation process of some crops such as sugarcane and grain, this means it is a more sustainable fuel as it is coming from a renewable source.
E10 petrol has been rolled out across UK fuel stations, replacing the old E5 unleaded petrol in an effort to help drivers lower their carbon footprint.
As mentioned above, all vehicles made after 2010 can run on E10 fuel and the majority of cars built between 2002 and 2010 will also be compatible. However, there are some exceptions, including certain models from brands like Ford, Renault, Toyota, Lexus, Volkswagen, Audi and Mercedes.
It's designed to be more fuel-efficient with a smoother engine operation, whilst also containing additives designed to keep your engine clean, so there's a good chance that super-unleaded will make your car perform better for longer.
In its guidance on E10, the DfT says: “If your vehicle is compatible with E10 petrol, there's no reason you can't mix the 2 grades of petrol (E5 97+ and E10 95+). It's perfectly safe to mix them in the same tank or fill up with E5 if E10 is not available.”
While high-octane fuel is preferred for classics, they can run perfectly well on lower octane petrol, especially if the ignition is adjusted to counteract the change in combustion rate.
If you put E10 fuel in an incompatible car it will still run, but seals, plastics and metals may be damaged over longer periods as a result of bioethanol's corrosive properties.