E10 fuel vs E5 petrol: what's the difference, and is E5 worth the extra?
What E10 fuel and E5 petrol are, which cars need E5, and what the extra costs at the latest UK prices.
By Forecourt Prices Published Updated
E10 fuel and E5 petrol prices across the UK
UK average
UK average
E5 dearer, per litre
for E5, against 6,897 for E10
Today's UK averages come from 6,897 forecourts with an E10 price and 3,665 with an E5 price in our price data. We update it every 15 minutes. See how we work them out.
Updated 3:48am on 2 November.
The short answer
Today super unleaded (E5) averages 188.7p a litre across UK forecourts, 17.0p dearer than E10 at 171.7p. On a 55-litre fill that is £9.35 more. Over 8,000 miles a year at 44.6 mpg it adds up to about £140, or about £210 over 12,000 miles.
What E10 fuel and E5 petrol are
E10 is petrol with up to 10% renewable ethanol in it. E5 has up to 5%[1].
E10 became the standard grade of petrol, rated 95 octane, in Great Britain in September 2021[1] and in Northern Ireland on 1 November 2022[2].
E5 is now the super grade, rated 97 octane or higher. Forecourts that sell two grades of petrol stock both, and the pump and nozzle carry a round E10 or E5 label[1].
The ethanol is bioethanol, typically made from sugar and cereal crops and some waste products[3]. Blending it in means less fossil fuel is needed[4].
GOV.UK says the main benefit of E10 is lower carbon dioxide emissions. It says E10 could cut them by 750,000 tonnes a year, which it likens to taking 350,000 cars off the road. It adds that blends like E10 do little for air quality[4].
Who should use E5 petrol
GOV.UK says about 95% of petrol vehicles on the road can use E10, and every car built since 2011 can[1].
The ones that may not are classic, cherished and older vehicles, and some models from the early 2000s. Some mopeds may not either, particularly those of 50cc or under. If yours isn't in the checker, GOV.UK says to look in the handbook or ask the manufacturer. If in doubt, it says to keep using E5[1]. The checker covers cars, vans, motorbikes and mopeds[5].
Vehicles built from 2019 on should have a label close to the filler cap showing whether they take E10, E5 or both[6].
Many makers of classic cars aren't in the checker. GOV.UK says owners of vehicles it doesn't list should keep using E5, and suggests asking an owners' club or a garage[7].
GOV.UK doesn't say how E10 could harm a vehicle that isn't made for it. Responding to the government's E10 consultation, many classic car owners said ethanol blends can damage certain rubbers and alloys in older vehicles[8]. That is their account, and we haven't tested it.
If your car can use E10, it can use E5 too, and you can mix the two in the same tank[1].
GOV.UK says boats and petrol garden tools, such as lawnmowers and chainsaws, may not be able to use E10 either. It says to check the manual or ask the maker[9]. The grade makes no difference to clean air zones or the ULEZ, which go by your vehicle's Euro emissions standard[10].
If your car needs E5, 3,665 UK forecourts have an E5 price from the last 30 days. That compares with 6,897 for E10. Some rural, remote or very small forecourts sell only one grade of petrol, so check before you set off[1].
Is E5 petrol worth it in a car that can use E10?
GOV.UK says E10 can cut fuel economy by around 1%, and that you're unlikely to notice it in everyday driving[11].
On that figure, E5 pays for itself on economy alone only if it costs no more than about 1% extra: 1.7p a litre at today's E10 average of 171.7p.
Today it costs 17.0p more, so on fuel economy alone it doesn't pay its way.
What the brands say about their super grades
BP says its Ultimate fuels are designed to remove dirt from engines and stop it building up[12]. Shell says V-Power Unleaded has three times as many cleaning molecules as its regular unleaded[13]. We haven't tested either claim.
How the gap has moved
Average unleaded (E10) and super unleaded (E5) prices across UK forecourts each day since 7 February 2026.
- On 1 November, E5 cost 17.0p a litre more than E10.
- The gap is down 0.7p over 7 days, down 0.6p over 30 days and down 0.4p over 90 days.
- Since 7 February 2026 the widest it has been is 18.2p, on 8 September, and the narrowest 16.1p, on 14 April.
Figures to 1 November 2026.
Daily UK averages from our price data.
Where E5 costs least extra
Each brand's average E10 and E5 price at its own forecourts, not counting motorway services, smallest gap first.
Brand averages from our price data, from each brand's forecourts away from motorway services.
Supermarket E5 averages 181.5p, 11.2p more than supermarket E10 at 170.3p. At the major brands E5 is 18.9p more than E10.
| Brand | E10 | E5 | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maxol, mostly from older prices | 164.8p | 173.8p | +9.0p |
| Go, mostly from older prices | 163.7p | 172.8p | +9.1p |
| Spar, mostly from older prices | 172.3p | 181.4p | +9.1p |
| Circle K, mostly from older prices | 164.9p | 174.4p | +9.5p |
| Costco, mostly from older prices | 164.1p | 174.6p | +10.5p |
| Tesco, mostly from older prices | 170.7p | 181.3p | +10.6p |
| Sainsbury's | 169.8p | 181.8p | +12.0p |
| Co-op, mostly from older prices | 171.1p | 183.5p | +12.4p |
| Essar, mostly from older prices | 171.4p | 186.8p | +15.4p |
| Gulf, mostly from older prices | 171.7p | 187.7p | +16.0p |
| Texaco, mostly from older prices | 169.9p | 186.2p | +16.3p |
| TotalEnergies, mostly from older prices | 170.8p | 187.3p | +16.5p |
| BP, mostly from older prices | 172.6p | 191.8p | +19.2p |
| Gleaner, mostly from older prices | 175.6p | 195.3p | +19.7p |
| EG On The Move, mostly from older prices | 171.9p | 191.7p | +19.8p |
| Shell, mostly from older prices | 174.2p | 195.4p | +21.2p |
Figures marked † are mostly from prices over 3 days old.
Common questions about E10 fuel and E5 petrol
Is E5 cheaper than E10?
No. Today super unleaded (E5) averages 188.7p across UK forecourts, 17.0p a litre more than E10 at 171.7p.
Is E5 better than E10?
E5 has the higher octane rating, 97 or more against 95 for E10[1], and E10 can cut fuel economy by around 1%[11]. Whether that is worth paying for depends on the price gap, which the section on whether E5 is worth it works out.
Why is E5 petrol more expensive?
E5 is the super grade, rated 97 octane or higher[1]. None of the fuel companies' pages we checked explains why super unleaded costs more than E10. So we can show how much more it costs, and how that has moved, but not why.
Can I mix E10 and E5?
Yes, if your car can use E10. It is safe to mix the two in the same tank, or to fill up with E5 when there is no E10[1].
Which cars can't use E10?
Every car built since 2011 can. The ones that may not are classic, cherished and older vehicles, and some models from the early 2000s. Some mopeds may not either, particularly those of 50cc or under[1]. The GOV.UK checker tells you for your make and model[5]. Check your vehicle on GOV.UK.
Can motorbikes and scooters use E10?
GOV.UK says most cars and motorcycles made since the late 1990s are approved for E10. It says classic, cherished and older vehicles may not be compatible, and nor may some models from the early 2000s. The same goes for some mopeds, particularly those of 50cc or under[14]. The checker covers motorbikes and mopeds[5]. If yours isn't listed, check the handbook or ask the maker, and use E5 if in doubt[14]. Check your bike on GOV.UK.
Is E10 the same as 95 unleaded?
At almost every forecourt, yes. Standard 95-octane petrol became E10 in Great Britain in September 2021[1] and in Northern Ireland in November 2022[2]. Some rural, remote or very small forecourts may sell E5 as their standard petrol instead[15]. Super unleaded, rated 97 octane or more, is E5[1].
Is E5 the same as premium or super unleaded?
Yes, in practice. E5 is the super grade, rated 97 octane or higher[1]. Some brands sell it under their own names, such as Esso Synergy Supreme+ 99, BP Ultimate Unleaded, Shell V-Power and Momentum 99. Compare each brand's super unleaded.
Does E5 petrol clean your engine?
GOV.UK describes E5 only by its ethanol content and octane rating[1]. The cleaning claims are the brands', for their own super grades, such as BP Ultimate[12] and Shell V-Power[13]. We haven't tested them.
Does E10 damage engines?
GOV.UK says one tank of E10 in a vehicle that can't use it shouldn't be a major problem. You shouldn't need to drain the tank: fill up with E5 next time. Using E10 for a long time in a vehicle that isn't compatible may cause harm[1]. GOV.UK doesn't say what that harm would be. Classic car owners told the government's consultation that ethanol can damage some rubbers and alloys[8]. We haven't tested this.
How long does E10 petrol last?
GOV.UK gives no figure for how long E10 or E5 keeps, and none of the brand pages we checked gives one either. You will see claims that E10 goes stale sooner than E5, but we haven't been able to verify them. If you lay a car or bike up for the winter, ask the maker or check the handbook.
Is E5 petrol being phased out?
Not for now. GOV.UK says E5 stays on sale at forecourts that sell two grades of petrol[15]. In 2021 the government said the rules keeping it would last at least five years. It added that they would only go once a suitable alternative for older vehicles was widely available[16]. The rules call for a review report within five years of 1 September 2021[17]. We couldn't find one on GOV.UK when we checked in October 2026.
Is E10 petrol or diesel?
Petrol. E10 and E5 are both grades of petrol, and diesel hasn't changed[1]. Read our guide to premium diesel.
Where is E5 cheapest?
The table above has each brand's average E5 price and how much more it costs than its E10. To find the cheapest E5 near you, search by postcode or town and choose Super Unleaded. Search for E5 near you.
Sources and method
- GOV.UK: E10 petrol explained, checked 13 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: E10 petrol rolling out in Northern Ireland on 1 November 2022, checked 13 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: Introducing E10 petrol: outcome and summary of responses, question 1, checked 13 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: E10 petrol explained, Reducing emissions, checked 13 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: Check if your vehicle can run on E10 petrol, checked 13 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: E10 petrol explained, On your vehicle, checked 13 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: E10 petrol explained, Classic vehicles, checked 13 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: Introducing E10 petrol: outcome and summary of responses, Overview of consultation responses, checked 13 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: E10 petrol explained, Boats, aircraft and other petrol-powered equipment, checked 13 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: E10 petrol explained, Driving in clean air and ultra-low emission zones, checked 13 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: E10 petrol explained, Fuel economy, checked 13 October 2026.
- bp UK: bp Ultimate fuels, checked 13 October 2026.
- Shell UK: V-Power unleaded fuel, checked 13 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: E10 petrol explained, Vehicles, checked 13 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: E10 petrol explained, Availability, checked 13 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: Introducing E10 petrol: outcome and summary of responses, question 7, checked 13 October 2026.
- legislation.gov.uk: The Motor Fuel (Composition and Content) and the Biofuel (Labelling) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2021, regulation 15, checked 13 October 2026.
Our figures: each UK average is over every forecourt's latest price reported in the last 30 days, leaving out prices far from what the rest of the UK charges. The brand figures leave out motorway services too. How we work out the figures