Warning for millions of drivers who fill up with e10 petrol at pump

CAR EXPERTS AT ADMIRAL CAR INSURANCE URGED SOME ROAD USERS TO "AVOID PREMIUM UNLEADED" IF THEY WANT TO BOOST THEIR FUEL ECONOMY. 11:02, 02 Jun 2025Updated 11:03, 02 Jun 2025

Drivers of certain cars have been urged to 'avoid' certain fuel at UK petrol stations for one key reason. Car experts at Admiral car insurance urged some road users to "avoid

premium unleaded" if they want to boost their fuel economy. Issuing a warning over E10 petrol, Admiral stated: "Premium or 'super' unleaded fuel is generally only

beneficial for high-performance vehicles or imported cars that need a higher-octane rating." E10 Petrol contains up to 10% renewable ethanol, compared to the current UK petrol (known as

E5) which contains up to just 5% renewable ethanol. E10 Petrol is widely used around the world having already been adopted across Europe, the United States, and Australia. READ MORE SMART

MOTORWAYS COULD BE SCRAPPED FROM ENGLAND ENTIRELY Admiral added: "Most cars likely aren't going to utilise the premium option enough to justify the 10-30p price difference. You can

check your vehicle's handbook or do some online research to see if it will benefit from premium unleaded fuel." Article continues below The main benefit to E10 Petrol is reducing

harmful CO 2 emissions. By using up to 10% renewable ethanol, rather than 5%, less fossil fuel is needed which helps to reduce carbon emissions – one of the biggest contributors to climate

change. But Kwik Fit advises, while E10 is more environmentally friendly than E5 petrol, questions have been raised concerning its fuel economy. Compared to its predecessor, E10 petrol will

give drivers slightly less miles per gallon – but only by around 1%. We Buy Any Car advised: "If your car is less than ten years old and has a mileage under 80,000, there probably won’t

be too many benefits of using premium fuel, unless it’s a performance vehicle. Article continues below "However, if you’ve found that your car has been feeling a bit knackered, try

filling your tank up with a high-octane fuel next time to see if you notice any change." At its launch, then-Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the introduction of E10 fuel will cut

carbon emissions by 750,000 tonnes per year - the equivalent of taking 350,000 cars off the road. The RAC’s fuel spokesman, Simon Williams, says: “The switch to E10 petrol is clearly good

news for the environment and will not affect the vast majority of the UK’s 33m drivers. However, many cars registered prior to 2002 shouldn’t use E10 as seals, plastics and metals may be

damaged by its corrosive properties if used exclusively over longer periods. It’s vital that anyone with an older vehicle gets the message about the switch otherwise they could end up with a

big repair bill.”