Green fuel 'costly and harmful'

A NEW "GREEN" FUEL to be introduced in the UK to meet EU regulations could be costly and harmful, according to tests carried out by What Car? magazine.

The E10 fuel, which contains 10% bio-ethanol, was less efficient than the current E5 (up to 5% bio-ethanol) blend across every engine type tested, What Car? said

The tests also showed an increase in carbon dioxide tailpipe emissions.

What Car? editor-in-chief Chas Hallett said the Government should carry out comprehensive UK-focused testing to better understand the financial impact of the new petrol.

He went on: "The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the detrimental effect of E10 on fuel economy is between 3% and 4% but even our small sample of tests proves otherwise.

"To lead consumers into E10 without fully communicating the significant impact on fuel economy, particularly for drivers least able to absorb the extra costs, is irresponsible."

What Car? tested E10 against E0 "pure" petrol so it could directly compare results with the US EPA's. The cars used were a three-cylinder turbo (Dacia Sandero), a Hyundai i30, a hybrid (Toyota Prius+) and a four-cylinder turbo (Mini Paceman).

The Sandero struggled the most with an 11.5% drop in economy. The i30 was almost as bad, managing 9.8% fewer miles on E10.

CO2 emissions increased in every vehicle tested by What Car?.

Overall, the What Car? tests suggested that more powerful cars cope better with a higher ethanol content, leaving smaller cars - often bought by drivers on a tighter budget - worst affected.

What Car? added that not every car on the roads will be able to use E10, with around 8% of vehicles not compatible.

Transport minister Baroness Kramer said: "Any decision to supply E10 is very much a commercial decision for fuel suppliers and current regulations certainly do not require them to do this. Ministers have met with fuel suppliers to encourage them to delay supplying E10 until the market is ready. We are not aware of plans for its introduction in the immediate future.

"Any change in the regulations which might require the introduction of this fuel would of course be the subject of a full public consultation, taking into consideration any cost to consumers and environmental impact."

AA president Edmund King said "E10 has been introduced successfully in some European countries but was shunned by drivers in Germany who had concerns about compatibility and fuel quality.

"There are no short-term Government or oil industry plans that we're aware of to introduce E10 into the UK but when this does eventually happen it is essential that drivers have access to the full facts regarding vehicle compatibility and likely costs."

RAC technical director David Bizley said: "The European directive is clearly well-intentioned, but the What Car? tests are both surprising and worrying.

"If these results were borne out by larger scale testing, it would raise questions as to whether there is sufficient environmental benefit to justify the switch to higher biofuel content petrol."

By Peter Woodman, Press Association