High fuel prices: Fill up with E10 instead of Super - is that possible?

Created: 2022-09-12, 2:39 p.m

By: Simon Mones

Fuel prices are again at a high level.

But if you choose the cheaper E10 instead of Super, you can save.

But is it that easy?

Munich – As a result of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, fuel prices in Germany have soared to new record highs.

It was the highest price increase of all crises.

In the meantime, the situation has calmed down somewhat, and thanks to the tank discount, the prices for diesel and petrol are back to around the pre-war level.

In the meantime, however, prices have risen significantly again.

Nevertheless, many motorists can save money by filling up with E10 instead of normal Super.

So far, only 14 percent of German drivers have done so, as the ADAC announced in March.

This proportion could be significantly higher, but it is often assumed that E10 damages the car.

According to the Saarbrücker Zeitung, the managing director of the Federal Association of the German Bioethanol Industry (BDBe), Stefan Walter, sees a continuing need for information.

If you fill up with Super E10, you can save real money.

(Iconic image) © David Ebener/dpa

High fuel prices: fill up with E10 instead of Super - is that possible?

The controversial biofuel owes its name to its ethanol content of up to ten percent, the remaining at least 90 percent is made up of petrol from conventional oil.

With normal super, however, the proportion is only up to five percent, which is why it is often referred to as E5.

The ethanol used is obtained from plants.

Barley, rye, wheat, corn, sugar cane or sugar beet, for example, are suitable for this.

And with appropriate pre-treatment, ethanol can also be obtained from wood, straw and organic waste.

The use of a higher proportion of ethanol has a number of advantages.

This burns significantly cleaner than some of the components of conventional petrol, which means that E10 ensures fewer particulate matter emissions.

In addition, when the ethanol is burned, only the CO2 that the plant absorbed during growth through photosynthesis is emitted.

High fuel prices: E10 on average five to six cents cheaper than Super

According to the ADAC, anyone who fills up with E10 has to reckon with an additional consumption of between one and one and a half percent.

The reason: ethanol has around 30 percent less energy than normal petrol.

Nevertheless, the car club assumes that up to four euros can be saved per tank of fuel, since E10 is on average five to six cents cheaper than Super.

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In addition, not all cars can fill up with Super E10.

However, vehicles built from November 2010 onwards should generally be able to cope with the biofuel without any problems.

And many young and oldtimers with petrol engines can be refueled with E10.

If in doubt, you can also find out whether your own E10 car is suitable via the operating instructions and the manufacturer, dealer, workshop or online at Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH and the European automobile manufacturer association ACEA, as the Saarbrücker Zeitung reports.

High fuel prices: E10 can become a safety risk with unsuitable engines

In addition, the ADAC emphasizes: "The use of E10 has no effect on the functional reliability, service life and wear." The change between E10 and E5 is therefore not a problem for the engine. It is different if the car is not suitable for E10 is.

Editor's note: This text has already appeared in the past.

He was of particular interest to many readers.

That's why we're offering it again.

In this case, the biofuel can become a safety risk and attack not only aluminum components but also seals and lines in the fuel system.

If E10 has been filled up by mistake instead of E5, drivers should follow the manufacturer's instructions.

However, it can also be enough to fill up the tank with a low-ethanol fuel, such as Super Plus.

According to the ADAC, a non-critical mixing ratio can be achieved in this way.

However, this only works if the tank is not full.

If this is the case, the only thing that helps is pumping and calling the manufacturer.