You might have noticed that the labels on fuel pumps have changed to a mix of numbers and letters since Sunday, September 1.
The Department for Transport brought in the changes and it’s now mandatory for all petrol stations in the UK to use the new labelling for both petrol and diesel.
The codes tell you two things - the type of fuel it is and the maximum amount of renewable fuels, e.g. biodiesel, it contains.
What do the new codes mean and where will they be displayed?
E5 in a circle means petrol and B7 in a square means diesel. You’ll see them on the fuel dispenser, fuel nozzle and the filler cap of you car (depending how old it is.)
How you can save fuel:
The fuels themselves have not changed.
E stands for ‘ethanol’ and ‘5’ means up to 5% of the fuel is from renewable sources. The same with diesel ‘B’ means ‘biodiesel’ and ‘7’ up to 7% renewable biodiesel.
Petrol stations across the country now have new fuel labels. By 1 April 2020 these labels will also be on all new vehicles to help you choose the right fuel for your vehicle. ✅ https://t.co/xSav8ejCUo #KnowYourFuel pic.twitter.com/lOPsivffBC
— Dept for Transport (@transportgovuk) September 1, 2019
Blended renewables reduced emissions in the UK by the equivalent of 1 million cars being taken off the road last year.
They reduce carbon dioxide emissions to aid the UK in meeting its climate change targets.
What if my vehicle has a sticker saying it can use E10 petrol?
You can still use E5 petrol in your car. E10 is not yet available in the UK but might be in the future if stricter controls on emissions come into force. E10 is widely used in Europe, the US and Australia already.
The majority of vehicles made since 2000 can run on E10, a fuel that is made of up to 10% renewable ethanol.
Some diesel cars have stickers saying ‘no biodiesel’ on the filler cap. You can still use B7 in these vehicles. The stickers are to warn people about using very high biodiesel blends. If you’ve been using diesel you still can because the fuel has not changed, only the label.
By April 2020, all vehicles produced in the UK will have E5 or B7 labels on their fuel caps.
