E10's share of gasoline station sales in Germany has continued to rise since 2022, primarily because car drivers became more cost-conscious during the energy crisis. At the same time, associations are calling for the removal of existing protection for E5.
The proportion of E10 — gasoline containing 10pc ethanol — in the gasoline station mix has risen to around 25-35pc this year from 20-30pc a year earlier, an Argus survey shows. But significant regional variations may exist.
In Berlin, the share can reach up to 50pc as car drivers in the capital are more eco-friendly, market participants said. Conversely, in Sachsen-Anhalt or Saxony, the share of the pricier and less eco-friendly 98 Ron has risen in recent years because drivers there sometimes favour the premium product. In parts of Bavaria and northern Germany, the proportion remains below the national average, as some independent gasoline stations do not offer E10, dealers said.
The overall E10 share has risen since 2022, particularly after the energy crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine. Despite many consumers initially expressing concerns about switching to E10 as a result of its "bad reputation", lower prices at the pump compared with E5 were particularly appealing to consumers with the declining economic situation, retailers said. This trend seems to be continuing in 2024, even though some dealers noticed a partial return to E5 with falling fuel prices in 2023.
Data from the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (Bafa) confirm this trend. The E10 share was 13pc in 2018 and has been increasing steadily since. It was 26pc in 2023 and 28pc in January 2024. Bafa has not released any more complete data on the E10 share since January, but dealers believe that this has risen further in recent months.
There has been no political reaction to the advance of E10 so far. The Federal Council decided in March against lifting the protection of E5 at petrol stations, freeing up pumps and allowing for greater supply of E10 and hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO). While many dealers are rather relaxed about the development, industry associations are increasingly calling for E5 protection to be withdrawn. The main argument is environmental protection.
"In the medium term, we only need two types of petrol and not three," Duraid el-Obeid, the chairman of the Federal Association of Free Petrol Stations, said in July. "This has long been the case in our neighbouring countries. However, unlike in other European countries, there should be a longer transition period." He added that the sale of E5 could be stopped by the end of 2025. "If we want to meet the high standards for reducing CO2 emissions, we will not be able to avoid the end of E5."
The Uniti Association also advocated for flexibility of the protection of E5 in the 10th ordinance on the Implementation of the Federal Emission Control Act to promote the use of E10. This could offer opportunities for further CO2 savings in road transport, Uniti chief executive Elmar Kuhn said.
The association en2x highlights the benefits of E10 for the environment and notes that E10 is gaining popularity throughout Europe. In Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic and some Scandinavian countries, E5 has been phased out as a so-called protected species and replaced by E10. Increasing climate protection targets and the obligation to meet EU requirements justify the move throughout Europe, en2x said.
