Fuel Archives | PetrolPrices

New E10 fuel could cause catastrophic damage to classic cars

Apr 27, 2021

From September, filling stations will switch to E10 petrol – a greener alternative in line with the government’s plan to cut emissions. However, motorists are being warned that E10 is incompatible with some vehicles, including classic cars.

It is expected that the introduction of E10 petrol on UK roads will serve to reduce transport CO2 emissions by up to 750,000 tonnes per year. Still, there is growing concern over the number of motorists who will be excluded from this new scheme due to the incompatibility of their vehicles.

E10 has the potential to corrode brass, copper, lead, zinc, rubber, plastic and fibreglass, all of which are commonly found in older vehicles. And it’s not just classic cars at risk either.

Studies show that even vehicles built in the early 2000s may be negatively affected by E10. These drivers have been warned against using E10 to fill up their vehicles until it has been confirmed that it is safe to do so.

Instead, motorists with older vehicles or classic or cherished cars will need to use the more expensive super unleaded petrol, as this will be the only maintained source of E5. Its price currently stands at 136.2p-a-litre, 14p more than standard petrol.

It is thought that this will have the most significant impact on lower-income drivers who may not be able to afford to replace their older model vehicle. Instead, they will have to fork out up to £7.50 more to fill up their tank with E5.

However, AA president Edmund King has suggested the switch to E10 will be more costly for all motorists, not just those with older vehicles:

‘Introducing E10 will add to fuel costs paid by motorists. Moving from E5 to E10 is estimated to reduce pump price petrol costs by 0.2 pence per litre. However, as the energy content of the fuel will also decrease, motorists will have to buy more litres of fuel. Overall fuel costs for petrol cars are therefore estimated to increase by 1.6% as a result of moving from E5 to E10.’

Simon Williams, spokesman for the RAC, also commented:

‘The switch to E10 petrol is clearly good news for the environment and will not affect the vast majority of the UK’s 33 million car drivers although some may see the number of miles they get from a tank go down as research suggests E10 is potentially slightly less efficient.’

Despite the environmental positives E10 will provide, Edmund King suggests that the increased prices and incompatibility with some vehicles has the potential to ‘rub many drivers up the wrong way.’

[Image Source: Shutterstock, April 2021]

Will your vehicle be compatible with E10?

According to research thus far, the following vehicles may be incompatible with E10:

Classic and cherished vehicles
Older vehicles, particularly those built before 2000
Mopeds with an engine size of 50cc or under

Because of this, the Department for Transport is suggesting motorists use their new E10 Vehicle Compatibility Checker before September to avoid potential damage to their cars.

An investigation conducted by Hagerty UK – representatives of the classic car community -warns that ‘the introduction of E10 is the most significant threat to old cars since the switch from leaded to unleaded fuel.’

Unfortunately, however, the petrol retailers Association suggest that it will be up to older car owners to make modifications to their vehicle if they wish to use E10 petrol, rather than the more expensive super unleaded alternative:

‘You’ve either got to use fuel with no ethanol or change the materials that don’t like it. If you are in any doubt about your rubber fuel lines, change them. Get rid of your fibreglass petrol tank and install an aluminium one. The other thing ethanol really doesn’t like is solder. If you are running a soldered float in your carburettor, then think about carrying a spare – they’re generally quite easy to change,’ says Guy Lachlan, Managing Director of Classic Oils.

With potential modifications or increased fuel prices in mind, Hagerty UK has said that they ‘call on the Government and Petrol Retailers Association to accelerate information campaigns for drivers and riders. There may be extensive mechanical modifications required by some models, which can be a costly exercise – during an already challenging economic environment.’

Do the environmental benefits of E10 outweigh the potential risks to classic cars? Are you concerned that your vehicle will be incompatible with E10 petrol?

Let us know in the comments.

London’s congestion charge causes pollution levels to climb

Apr 13, 2021

London’s congestion charge – designed to reduce levels of traffic and thus harmful emissions – appears to be having the opposite of the desired effect, a study shows.

Professor Colin Green and his colleagues at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have studied pollution levels over London since the introduction of the charge in 2003. They have found that the levels of some pollutants, such as the harmful nitrogen dioxide, have risen by up to 20%.

Professor Green suggests that this is due to the increased usage of buses and taxis, both of which are exempt from the charge:

‘To get people onto public transport, the buses and black cabs were exempt from the charge,

‘Bus departures and routes were expanded after introducing the charge in the city centre. Bus and taxi traffic increased by more than 20 per cent.

‘The problem was that all the buses and London taxis ran on diesel.

Unfortunately, despite a reduction in some pollutants, the increased levels of nitrogen dioxide are a real cause for concern.

Nitrogen dioxide occurs with the burning of fossil fuels and can be dangerous or even fatal if concentration and exposure levels are high. It is a particular concern for high-risk groups such as people with asthma, children and older adults.

Nitrogen dioxide also works to trap heat, having a detrimental impact on the environment and the planet overall.

Professor Green highlights the issues with nitrogen dioxide in the study by stating:

‘Fifty thousand people are estimated to die prematurely in the UK every year due to air pollution,’ states Professor Green.

‘Before the coronavirus, exhaust was the fastest-growing cause of death globally.

‘In fact, researchers in Germany have found that exposure to exhaust leads to a sharp increase in coronavirus mortality.’

With this in mind, motorists and experts alike have begun to question whether the congestion charge – which currently stands at £15 per day – can be justified if it is not having the desired effect. Professor Green goes as far as to suggest the congestion charge scheme was flawed from the start:

‘In London, there are hardly any electric cars or buses that run on environmentally friendly fuel,

‘A tax in the most congested areas without any measure to reduce the number of diesel vehicles hasn’t had the desired effect on air quality,

‘Reducing traffic isn’t the same as reducing air pollution.’

‘We argue the NO2 increase likely reflects the incentives that the charging scheme provided to shift towards diesel-based transportation.’

The study suggests that while the government is putting into place newer schemes to drive down emissions and improve air quality across the country, older schemes should be reviewed to ensure they are in keeping with the overall mission.

[Image Source: Shutterstock, April 2021]

The congestion charge may not be working, but what is?

While London’s congestion charge may not be driving down pollution as much as was once predicted, the government are frequently putting other schemes into place to help cut emissions and improve environmental health.

The first of these began with the Paris Agreement back in 2015 – an international agreement to ensure the increase in global temperature does not exceed 2 degrees Celsius.

This served to kick start other schemes: the government’s announcement to become carbon neutral by 2050, for example. This includes planting more trees and installing ‘carbon capture’ technology to reduce emissions.

Following this, the government announced that the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles would be banned by 2040, before bringing this date forward by a decade to 2030. Within this are multiple schemes to encourage motorists to switch to electric vehicles, including electric vehicle grants and investment into public charge point technology.

While it is clear that the government is going above and beyond to ‘build back greener’, some environmental experts believe it is not enough. The congestion charge study has only served to support this belief further.

Tanya Steele, Chief Executive at WWF, claims that the government is: ‘out of touch with the scale of the climate challenges and that not enough is being done ‘for people and for our planet.

‘To avoid catastrophe, we need a low-carbon, nature-powered recovery – and we don’t have many chances left.’

Do you think the congestion charge is justified, or is it a flawed scheme that needs reworking? Is the government doing enough to reduce emissions and decrease levels of pollution?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Fuel duty freeze won’t stop rising pump prices, experts warn

Mar 9, 2021

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has confirmed that the fuel duty freeze will be extended for its tenth year, but experts warn that pump prices could continue to rise significantly in the coming months.

Since 2011, fuel duty has been at a fixed rate of 57.95p-a-litre, accounting for approximately 47% of what drivers pay for at petrol pumps. Before the Chancellor announced the budget last week, there were concerns that the fuel duty freeze may be revoked, resulting in higher petrol prices at a time of economic difficulty.

The revelation that fuel duty would still be frozen, therefore, was met positively by many.

RAC Head of Policy, Nicholas Lyes, commented on the positive impact the fuel duty freeze would have on drivers: ‘Drivers will breathe a sigh of relief that the Chancellor has decided not to ‘rock the fuel duty boat.’

He added: ‘We feared this would only pile further misery on drivers at a time when pump prices are on the rise, and many household incomes are being squeezed as a result.’

He also hinted at how devastating the alternative outcome could have been, considering the already colossal impact of the pandemic on drivers everywhere:

‘Many drivers see their cars as a safe way to carry out essential journeys and believe having access to a vehicle is even more important as a result of the pandemic. If the Chancellor had raised fuel duty, he could have risked choking any economic recovery as it would have led to increased costs for consumers and businesses.’

Chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association, Brian Madderson, also praised the decision to extend the fuel duty freeze: ‘As the PRA has campaigned heavily against any rises in fuel duty, we naturally welcome the Chancellors decision today.

‘Fuel duty is a regressive tax on business and livelihoods, so any attempt to increase it would have been entirely counter-productive as the economy gets back on track.’

However, not everyone is convinced that this extended fuel duty freeze will have the desired effect on reducing costs for drivers.

[Image Source: Shutterstock, March 2021]

Experts warn pump prices will continue to rise

Following the fuel duty freeze announcement, the RAC has warned that there is ‘great uncertainty over the future of forecourt prices, with fears of further rises looming large.’

It has been reported that a spike in oil prices will force pump prices upwards, and we could see prices of up to 130p-a-litre by the end of this year. This would serve to cancel out any money saved by motorists off the back of the fuel duty freeze.’

In describing the issue with oil prices, RAC fuel spokesman, Simon Williams, said: ‘Oil shot up to $10, a barrel price last seen in January 2020, which led to a 3p-a-litre hike on the cost of both petrol and diesel.

‘The worry now is whether analysts talk of oil reaching $80 by the end of the year will prove accurate. If it does, we could see a litre of unleaded top 130p and diesel 134p.’

Williams also suggested that the pandemic coming to an end is what will cause the increase in oil prices:

‘There’s a big concern that they won’t release enough supply to soak up the increased global demand as life begins to return to normal, which could cause the price to go up further. If this proves to be the case, drivers will inevitably be hit badly at the pumps.’

Of course, this news about frozen fuel duty also comes when the Government is supposedly striving towards a more environmentally friendly approach for the motoring industry, with a 2030 petrol diesel ban looming.

Mike Childs – Friends of Earth Head of Policy – was astonished by the announcement and has suggested that ‘Rishi Sunak should be doing more to discourage the purchase of these polluting vehicles – such as slapping a significant increase in road tax on them.’

Despite concerns from all corners, however, it seems that the Chancellor is confident in his decision: ‘Right now, to keep the cost of living low, I’m not prepared to increase the cost of a tank of fuel.’

The Government has suggested that Rishi Sunak’s decision will ‘cumulatively save the average car driver £1,600 compared to the pre-2010 escalator.’

Are you pleased with Rishi Sunak’s decision to extend the freeze on fuel duty? Will it make a difference to you? Or do you think rising pump prices will cancel out the benefits?

Let us know in the comments.

RAC prompted double fuel price cuts in February

Feb 28, 2018

In February average fuel prices dipped slightly by 0.4p per litre unleaded and 0.5p per litre diesel versus January. Prices are still higher than they were at the same point last year by over a penny. The last time fuel prices were higher during February was in 2014, which was when the price crude oil was above $100 a barrel. The main point of contention on price has been the how quickly petrol retailers have passed on reductions in the wholesale price and this has been a prevalent theme throughout the month.

Falling wholesale prices

The RAC first issued a request to the supermarkets at the beginning of February to lower their prices in light of the drop in wholesale prices. The cost of a barrel of crude oil fell by $5 at the beginning of February. The RAC hoped that supermarkets would drop their prices by around 3p a litre. The wholesale cost had dropped by 7% from 25th January to 7th February, meaning the cost of buying the fuel had already declined significantly.

The RAC firmly believed that the big four supermarkets had room to drop their prices as the average was sitting at 119.49p for petrol and 122.13p for diesel. Dropping their prices would see motorists paying less at around 8,500 forecourts across the country and would be a welcome boost for drivers.

(Credit – Stephen McKay)

Prices still rising

But as of the 7th February the price of fuel was still going up, reaching 122.17p for petrol and 124.91p for diesel. The RAC were keen to see the supermarkets reduce their prices from that point as the half-term holidays came around and knew they could afford to drop them by around 3p a litre. Some supermarkets were running promotions such as Tesco, who offered a whopping 10p a litre off fuel if you spent £60 or more in a single shop.

Regional differences also showed scope for changes as well. In Somerset, for example, the supermarkets were selling fuel around 10p lower than the average price around the UK and 7p a litre less than the average versus major petrol retail brands.

Double price cuts announced

Following ongoing pressure from the RAC on February 9th, ASDA led the way with a drop of 2p per litre and many supermarkets followed suit, such as Morrisons and Sainsburys with similar price cuts. During the same week, the cost of oil had fallen further to $61.46, the lowest price since the middle of November last year. The increased exchange rate also helped, meaning that the wholesale price of fuel also fell a little further.

A week later something unusual happened in that ASDA cut their prices again by a further 2p per litre taking prices down to an average of 116.8p per litre. The rest of the industry was taken aback by the change but did react a few days later, Morrisons and Sainsburys also dropped their pricing again, so a double price drop in the space of a week.

Kudos to the RAC

We should give thanks to the RAC for prompting the supermarkets to make these changes.

Simon Williams from the RAC commented: “The sharp drop in the price of oil gives them a perfect opportunity to reduce their pump prices by 3p. The fall in the wholesale fuel price gives them a great opportunity to turn up the heat in what has become something of a ‘cold pump price war’ in recent weeks.’

The recent drop in the price of oil has been caused by an unexpected increase in fuel stocks in the US, sparking fears of oversupply into what is traditionally a season of lower demand. In addition, the North Sea Forties pipeline, which was shut down in December due to a crack, has just reopened. This will bring 450,000 barrels of Brent crude oil a day on to the market, making prices less competitive.”

What’s the position now?

As we enter March the fuel price has steadied for the moment at an average 120.1p per litre unleaded and 122.9p per litre diesel. The biggest fear is what impact the extreme cold weather will have on pricing. Gas prices have rocketed in price from 90p per therm to 200p per therm in less than a week and there are potential shortages.

While this is not likely with petrol and diesel supplies, what may be an issue is whether tankers are able to get to petrol forecourts to deliver the fuel if there is too much snow and bad weather conditions. Our advice is fill up if you can now just in case as prices are quite reasonable.

What do you think of the RAC and their intervention in the market and acting as a Watchdog over the petrol retailers? Do you think pricing should be Government regulated? Let us know in the comments below.