The Dutch keep the relatively new E10 petrol in the pump more, while sales of E5 are increasing. This is evident from figures from MultiTankcard.
With the introduction of E10, the petrol to which up to ten percent bioethanol has been added, various stories arose about potential engine damage in older cars. In addition, there was – certainly in the beginning – some confusion about which cars should be able to handle it and which not. It seems that a significant part of the Netherlands prefers to err on the side of caution and simply refuel the more expensive E5. So the former Euro 98.
Patrick Roozeman, director of MultiTankcard, registers The Telegraph that there is a clear difference between the two types of gasoline among its customer base. “Between August 2019 and August 2020, the sales volume of this fuel (E5, ed.) Increased by no less than twenty percent, while over the same period sales of E10 decreased slightly by five percent.”
E10 must be better for the environment, as the bioethanol comes from crops and therefore less fossil fuel is needed. In addition, the CO2 emissions of the car must also be lower than with the old Euro 95. However, according to Ewout Klok of Beta, the association of independent petrol station owners, it seems that people prefer the certainty of preserving their own material. than for a cheaper fuel (than E5) that would be better for the environment. “You see that people are erratic (…)”, says Klok. Another frequently heard advantage of E5 is that cars often drive more efficiently. That difference would sometimes be enough to justify the additional cost.