Ethanol-based fuel is now the top-selling petrol in France

Petrol containing 10% ethanol has become the number-one selling gasoline blend in France, according to new figures released today.

Sales of the blend, known as E10, represented 38.5% of the French petrol market in September 2017, France’s Bioethanol Collective said in a statement. During the first nine months of the year, E10 petrol was also the leading blend, with a share of 38.2% of the French petrol market versus 37.5% for SP95.

Part of the rise in popularity is due to French motorists now switching back to petrol-powered vehicles, with sales outstripping diesel for the first time in 17 years (48.2% opposed to 46.8%). The new petrol models with low-consumption engines have been designed to run on SP95-E10 – which has greater environmental benefits than normal gasoline and is compatible with 97% of petrol driven cars on French roads today.

Ethanol used in France is mainly derived from French cereals and beet which yield both food and energy, in compliance with European sustainability criteria. The SP95-E10 bioethanol content helps reduce CO2 emissions by over 50% compared to petrol.

Read the full press release here.