Yes, E5 fuel is being phased out as the standard in many regions, like the UK, being replaced by E10, but it remains available as a "premium" or "super" fuel for older, E10-incompatible vehicles, though its long-term availability is uncertain as forecourts might reduce stock, especially in rural areas. The trend is a gradual move to more renewable fuels, with E5 likely becoming a specialist, less common option over time, with some forecasts pointing to potential availability issues beyond 2026, notes this article on Honest John.
The UK is likely to phase out E5 petrol as part of its initiatives to lower carbon emissions. Despite this move, E5 petrol, is still offered, primarily for older vehicles that cannot use E10. E5 is also sold as premium fuel, allowing high-performance vehicles to make use of the increased combustibility of E5 fuel.
If you're in for long car trips, choose diesel over petrol engines since they provide more power at lower engine revs. Featuring better fuel economy. Diesel cars give their owners better mpg than their petrol counterparts due to their fuel containing more energy per litre. Lower CO₂ emissions.
In its guidelines, the Department for Transport said: “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.”
Your car is more than new enough that you'll never notice a difference. Only reason to put E5 in a car that new is if the engine is high compression and it needs the higher octane.
If you have been filling your vehicle with E10, but go to fill up at a station where only E5 is available, it is safe to mix the two. They are very similar substances, but one contains more ethanol than the other. The UK is actually a late adopter of E10.
E10 is a biofuel blend containing up to 10% renewable ethanol, compared to the 5% in standard E5 petrol. The primary benefit of E10 is its potential to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
This indicates that most stations now offer 95-octane gasoline with up to 10% bioethanol, while 98-octane premium gasoline contains a maximum of 5% bio-components. However, this is not a strict rule, and some larger stations may still carry SP95 gasoline labeled as E5, as well as SP98 fuel labeled as E10.
The storage life of petrol is one year when stored under shelter in a sealed container. Once a seal is broken the fuel has a storage life of six months at 20°C or three months at 30°C. The storage life of petrol in equipment fuel tanks is one month.
A combination of additives in the E5 petrol help clean the injectors and fuel lines, clearing deposits of carbon and any lacquer build up which bolsters performance.
Summary. Sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles are being banned in the ACT by 2035. ICE vehicles are being phased out as manufacturers pivot to making EVs and lenders stop offering loans for them. Driving and refuelling your petrol car beyond 2035 will still be possible.
Lifespan of Cars
Petrol cars can last 10–20 years, so even if new ones stop being sold by 2035, many could still be on roads into the 2050s or beyond.
Diesel engines last longer because they use a slightly different combustion cycle to petrol engines. In diesel engines, the pistons are only used to compress air. Compression causes the air to heat up.
Do petrol cars have a future? Petrol cars will still stay on the streets post-2035, particularly through the second-hand market. While they'll remain part of the picture, shifting preferences, policy updates, and new performance standards are steadily paving the way for more people to explore electric options.
E5 petrol contains up to 5% ethanol and is often better suited to older and performance cars. It costs a bit more but can offer slightly better fuel economy. E10 contains up to 10% ethanol and is the standard petrol for most modern cars. It's cheaper but can be less efficient in some engines.
Australia's "25-Year Rule" allows importing classic and collectible vehicles (cars, motorcycles, light commercials) older than 25 years, under the Road Vehicle Standards (RVS) laws, by obtaining a Concessional RAV (Register of Approved Vehicles) approval to avoid strict compliance with modern Australian Design Rules (ADRs). This "rolling" rule means the vehicle must be at least 25 years old at the time of application, simplifying imports for enthusiasts but still requiring compliance with ADRs relevant to its original build year, plus some modifications for safety like VINs or child restraints.
Quick answer – this really depends on the price and the service history of a car. Some cars may be at the end of their useful life due to poor servicing and questionable build quality at 160,000kms – others might still be going strong at 300,000kms.
But the truth is, no car lasts forever, and ignoring early warning signs can turn a minor issue into a major breakdown at the worst possible moment. Strange noises, sluggish acceleration, difficulty starting, or dashboard warning lights are just a few of the red flags that your car is on its last legs.
Premium fuel additives are thought to reduce friction which results in keeping the engine's components clean. This also creates a more efficient performance. Professionals say that older vehicle engines with unknown history may benefit from additional cleaning with premium fuels.
You should use E10 (10% ethanol) in most modern petrol cars (post-2000/2011) as it's more eco-friendly and cheaper, but use E5 (5% ethanol) for older cars (pre-2000/carburetors) or high-performance vehicles that may need the higher octane or can't handle ethanol's water absorption, checking your owner's manual is always best to avoid potential fuel system issues.
Vehicle owners can still use E5 fuel if they wish to. Filling stations still sell E5 as approximately five per cent of cars in the UK aren't compatible with E10 according to gov.uk. Although, the number of E10 compliant cars will only increase as the older cars become redundant and get replaced with newer ones.
Providing your vehicle is compatible with E10 petrol, there's no reason you can't mix the two grades of petrol (E5 and E10). It's perfectly safe to mix them in the same tank or fill up with E5 if E10 is not available. If you put E10 petrol in a non-compatible vehicle, simply fill up with E5 ('Super') petrol next time.
You can still buy E5 'super' grade 97+ octane at most filling stations, although you may need to search for one in rural areas. E5 used to be referred to as super unleaded or premium petrol, which have 97 and 99 octane in their consistency.
E85 is not that commonly available in Australia, especially when compared to other more traditional fuels such as unleaded, premium unleaded and diesel, however, United Petroleum service stations do stock E85. What about other countries? E85 is used in Brazil, Europe, the USA, and other countries around the world.
If you are using your garden machinery or other equipment for daily use and long running periods (contractor, forestry and grounds maintenance use), E10 or E5 can be used, but it is still recommended by the manufacturers to use a suitable fuel stabiliser or oils containing fuel stabilisers (two stroke machinery oils) ...