E5 Petrol vs. E10 Petrol

With the change of standard premium unleaded petrol E5 to E10, what do we know about the change and how this is going to affect your car or the performance of your vehicle? 

Let’s head to what all we have to know! Before you get worried if you have a diesel car, E5 and E10 are both petrol and not diesel so do not be worried about this! 

What is E5 petrol?

SP95- E5 and SP98-E5 correlate with the E5 fuel. This petrol consists of up to 5% bioethanol, which is blended with unleaded 95 or 98. E5 fuel is also known as regular gasoline or unleaded petrol which can be stored in a sealed container at 20 degrees for 6 months. This is commonly used as fuel for vehicles with petrol engines.

What is ethanol?

A renewable biofuel that can be extracted from various sources like wheat, corn and sugarcane.

What is E10 petrol?

E10 petrol also known as super or premium petrol, consists of up to 10% ethanol which is 5% more ethanol compared to E5 fuel making it safer for the environment as it emits less amount of CO2 in the air by 700,000 tons per year (equivalent to 300,000 cars). 

This will surely give us a chance to save the environment from harmful greenhouse gases and bring it to zero by 2050! 

Can the new type of petrol damage my old car?

With E10 being used widely around the world the question that comes to our mind is “Can this affect my vehicle’s performance?” Well, yes! E10 can surely reduce fuel economy but the difference is negligible.

As E10 duel has double the dose of ethanol it can cause corrosion to your vehicle’s parts like fuel lines, carburetors and fuel tanks. 

Ethanol tends to be hygroscopic , that means it absorbs moisture from air and attracts water, causing condensation.

If looked at this problem closely, ethanol being a solvent can cause damage to the components made out of rubber, plastic and fibreglass. Modern day cars are designed to process E10 fuel but for your classics, the increased amount of ethanol can cause damages!

Moreover, more than 90% cars on the road today manufactured since 2011 are petrol engine smart vehicles and thus are compatible with the new petrol E10.

Is there any difference in performance of the fuels E5 and E10?

The difference in performance of both the fuels is mostly negligible. Both the petrol consists of similar octane ratings, a measure of their ability to resist. E5 is much more flammable as compared to E10 fuel. 

The new fuel is stable and with a higher percentage of ethanol can cause corrosion in the fuel system,  thus, with time your E10 compatible cars will be difficult to start! To protect your vehicles from such damages use the suggested petrol by your manufacturer.

Is there a difference in cost for both the petrol?

The cost varies depending on factors like taxes, local market conditions and government taxes. In some countries E10 petrol costs less with lower ethanol content and incentives are provided to promote the use of E10 petrol.

Can we improve the fuel performance?

With a series of tests, it can be said that the fuel stabilisers are not as good as we thought. With the test it was shown that even though after adding stabiliser to E10 fuel it still didn’t stop degrading, with E5 fuel there may have been less evaporation, no hint of corrosion and a greater lifespan( whether the stabiliser was added or not). 

With this it was concluded that the carburettor is safer from corrosion that ethanol may cause! 

What can happen if I fill my car with the wrong fuel?

Well for a fact we can be a little careful towards the kind of petrol we fill our vehicle with! But, if you do fill accidently, don’t worry much as even the Department of Transport stated that mixing the two fuels together won’t cause an issue. Filling up your vehicle repeatedly with the wrong fuel may potentially cause damage over time. 

The main differences between both the petrol are their compatibility with different kinds of vehicles, percentage of ethanol content and impact on the environment. The choice of petrol that you are buying depends on the vehicle compatibility, personal preferences, availability and pricing.

For more information connect to your nearest Mercedes Benz Service Center or check the owner’s manual to make sure that your car is compatible with E10 fuel before using it!