E10 biofuel deemed compatible with most of vehicles in circulation

Suitable for vehicles in circulation

E10 petrol is compatible with more than 90% of vehicles currently in circulation, requires no engine modifications and can significantly reduce polluting emissions, according to a draft Government resolution aimed at removing bottlenecks and accelerating the rollout of the biofuel.

Under the draft, built by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and now open for feedback, E5 petrol once accounted for around 40% of the market but has since fallen to 15–20% due to the narrow price gap with mineral petrol and lingering consumer concerns. The ministry said stronger policies, clearer price incentives and expanded public communications campaigns are needed to boost biofuel consumption.

Technically, E100 ethanol contains around 34.7% oxygen and has a high octane rating of about 108 RON, enabling more efficient combustion. Studies also show that E10 can reduce carbon monoxide (CO) emissions by 20–30% and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions by 10–20% compared to conventional petrol.

As early as late 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Trade surveyed provinces with high fuel consumption such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Hai Phong, and major fuel suppliers including Petrolimex, PVOil, Saigon Petro.

On November 7, 2025, the Minister of Industry and Trade issued Circular No. 50/2025/TT-BCT stipulating that, from June 1, 2026, unleaded gasoline must be blended into E10 for use in gasoline engines nationwide; E5 RON 92 will continue to be blended for gasoline engines until December 31, 2030.

Ready for wide use

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan affirmed that once Circular 50 was issued, the Ministry of Industry and Trade coordinated with ministries, localities, businesses, and relevant industry associations to prepare supplies of mineral gasoline and ethanol (E100); prepare storage and blending infrastructure; and upgrade distribution infrastructure to deliver E10 to consumers.

With nationwide gasoline consumption at about 1 million m3 per month, the required E100 volume is about 100,000 m3 per month. Domestic production currently provides about 25,000 m3 per month and imports cover roughly 75,000 m3 per month; on this basis, businesses have proactively secured sufficient supply for blending needs.

The Deputy Minister confirmed that since E10 biofuel distribution began in August 2025 in some localities and from mid-May 2026 nationwide by PVOil and Petrolimex, the Ministry and companies distributing E10 have not received any formal complaints about the quality of E5 or E10 biofuels or reports of negative impacts on engine performance and longevity from fuel users.

He added that using biofuels is a correct government policy, implemented since 2012 under Decision No. 53, aligned with the green, low-carbon economic development direction, reducing dependence on fossil fuels for sustainable development and contributing to national energy security.

Hai Phong News