What is E10 fuel?
E10 fuel is designed to reduce CO2 emissions and includes 10 per cent renewable ethanol, but what else do you need to know?
The Cazoo editorial team
Published on 21 October 2025 | 1 min read
In September 2021, the UK’s petrol station network underwent some big changes, in a bid to reduce the country’s transport carbon emissions.
For three decades, our cars were compatible to run on E5 petrol, which is unleaded fuel that contains up to five per cent ethanol.
Ethanol is an alcohol that is manufactured from plants, such as wheat and sugar beet, and is designed to make the fuel we put in our cars cleaner and greener.
So, what is E10 fuel? Is it better than E5? And, is my car compatible to run on it?
Here is our guide to everything you need to know about E10 fuel.
What is E10 fuel?
E10 fuel is unleaded petrol which has a 10 per cent ethanol mix, which is made from manufactured plants such as grains and wood.
Its purpose is to reduce carbon emissions from vehicles, as the higher percentage of renewable ethanol mixed in with the unleaded petrol means that less fossil fuel is needed to make the substance.
E10 fuel has been used around the world for many years before the UK introduced it to petrol pumps, with mainland Europe, America and Australia all using E10 since 2016.
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What’s the difference between E5 and E10?
The main difference between E5 and E10 petrol is the amount of ethanol mix in between the fuels.
For example, E5 uses unleaded petrol with a five per cent ethanol mix, whereas E10 uses 10 per cent of ethanol, which is cleaner, greener and is designed to reduce CO2.
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What are the benefits?
Not only is there more renewable resources found in E10 with its 10 per cent ethanol mix, but as ethanol is seen as a carbon-neutral fuel, since the plants that are made from it absorb CO2 while they are growing, they require less fossil fuels to be needed to make the substance.
This process is much better for the planet and makes our cars burn less CO2, and should help with the UK government’s target to ban the sale of new combustion-powered cars by 2035.
According to the Department for Transport (DfT), the introduction of E10 fuel could cut up to 750,000 tonnes of transport CO2 every year, which is the equivalent of removing 350,000 vehicles off the roads, or all of the cars in North Yorkshire.
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What are the negatives?
The biggest drawback to E10 fuel is that not all of Britain’s vehicles are compatible to run on it.
All cars made from 2011 to the present day are all designed to run on E10, meanwhile older vehicles that were registered before 2002 are recommended not to use the fuel as it can lead to premature damage to fuel lines, rubber seals, plastics and metal due to E10 being a more corrosive substance.
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Can I still fill my car up with E5 fuel?
Yes you can. Petrol station forecourts still sell E5 petrol, but it will be ‘super unleaded’ octane fuel, which is slightly more expensive per litre than E10, but is compatible with every car on the road.
E5 petrol works better for high-performance vehicles, due to its higher octane levels, which improves an engine’s performance. Also, all classic cars can run on it, which is great news for those who own vehicles that aren’t compatible with E10 fuel.
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How do I check to see if my car is compatible with E10 fuel?
The Department for Transport’s (DfL) website has an ‘E10 compatibility’ check service. You simply enter the manufacturer of your car, and the data will tell you whether your vehicle is compatible to run on E10 fuel or not.
If you’re unsure, it’s recommended that you contact the manufacturer first, as you don’t want to run the risk of filling your car up with fuel, and your car breaks down or its engine gets damaged from the higher levels of ethanol in E10 fuel.
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