Drivers skip E10 as savings stay on the shelf

Chemical engineer and Kiss Regulatory Consulting Principal, Barbara Kiss says many motorists wrongly assume their car can’t use it, or that the fuel could damage their engine or void their warranty. “This is not true. These misconceptions have been clearly debunked,” she says. “In Australia, E-10 is suitable for approximately 97 per cent of the vehicle fleet, including all petrol vehicles manufactured after 2000.” MORE: Google-powered car’s tech hiccups The NSW Government says E10 is compatible with most modern petrol vehicles and must meet the

same fuel quality standards as other petrol sold in Australia. E10 is also widely available, with industry figures suggesting it is sold from a similar number of bowsers as regular unleaded. So, if the manufacturer recommends regular unleaded or E10, there is generally no reason to pay extra for premium fuel. The fuel is a blend of 90 per cent regular unleaded petrol and 10 per cent renewable ethanol. And for many motorists, the biggest surprise may be the price. MORE: One-armed driver brats police

charges Manildra Group Managing Director, John Honan says E10 is typically around two cents per litre cheaper than regular unleaded, with larger savings against premium. “E10 can be around 24 cents per litre cheaper than Premium 98, equating to around $12 per tank on a 50-litre fill-up and potential annual savings of more than $600 for drivers,” he says. AUSTRALIA’S BIG FUEL FAIL But the debate isn’t just about prices. It’s also about where Australia’s fuel comes from. E10 is used in more than 64

countries, but producers say Australia is failing to make the most of its own supply. Since the fuel crisis began, producers say nearly 27 million litres of ethanol have been exported while Australia continues to rely heavily on imported fuel. Mr Honan says Australia already has the capacity to produce significantly more fuel than it currently uses domestically. MORE: Warning of AI hacking threat for Aussie cars “We produce Australian-made ethanol and biodiesel, we have capacity to produce more, and yet much of that capability

is sitting largely unused while Australians remain exposed to elevated prices for imported fossil fuels,” he says. The Federal Government is delivering $1.1 billion to support domestic production of low-emissions fuels. A government spokesperson said it “will also be consulting on a demand measure – that provides certainty for new Australian LCLF production, builds our long-term fuel security, and ensures we have investment in new, clean fuel refining capacity.” Not everyone agrees the problem is a lack of availability. The Australian Institute of Petroleum (AIP)

says E10 is already widely available, sold at almost two-thirds of service stations across New South Wales. But motorists continue to favour other fuels. AIP chief executive Malcolm Roberts says customers buy twice as much ULP91 as E10 and that preference has hardly changed over 20 years. Adding E10 contains slightly less energy than regular unleaded, meaning motorists may get fewer kilometres from a tank. Honan says “NSW Government guidance estimates the difference in fuel consumption at around 3 per cent – that’s comparable to

driving on under-inflated tyres.” For Kiss, the issue isn’t whether Australia can produce more fuel. It’s whether Australia chooses to use more of what it already makes. “Australia already has sovereign fuel production capacity,” she says. “It is a practical solution that requires no changes to vehicles, no new technology and no change to how Australians drive.” Originally published as Why Australian drivers don’t use E10 fuel

E10, Australia, fuel prices, ULP91, NSW Government, renewable ethanol, Manildra, John Honan, Barbara Kiss, Malcolm Roberts, Australian Institute of Petroleum, low-emissions fuels, fuel security