E5 or E10 Fuel

[3puddings]

For those of you with the Hybrid 230bhp do you think your car runs better on E5 or E10 petrol.

[italianjob1970]

For those of you with the Hybrid 230bhp do you think your car runs better on E5 or E10 petrol.

You won't be able to tell the difference.

[PhilHornby]

For those of you with the Hybrid 230bhp do you think your car runs better on E5 or E10 petrol.

"One measurement is worth a thousand opinions"

These days, comparing E5 vs E10 amounts to actually comparing 'Standard' petrol vs 'Super'. I remember reading some tests on the original 'Super' petrol (Shell's Optimax), at the turn of the century. They measured the same engine(s) on a dyno, running the two fuels and noted a substantial difference in power. (Fast Ford magazine once ran an engine on every brand of ordinary unleaded petrol and found significant differences between them). It is a myth that all petrol is the same!

I used to use Shell Optimax in my Ford Probe back then and occasionally use Super E5 in my bike now - for the same reason: I never measured (or felt) any difference in power, but noted a significant increase in range. This, of course, is a consequence of the extra energy stored therein. (The Probe's V6 got very thirsty when 'pushing on' - as does my bike. Being able to extend the range between refueling has sometimes proven very useful, but is only just balanced - if at all - by the extra expense, so I don't do it regularly).

Regarding Performance Measurement; since I don't own a Dynamometer, I've always used the 'Drag Strip Method', as espoused by Gordon Jennings in the Two Stroke Tuner's Handbook. I'm sure everyone's familiar with it (but bottom of Page 151 if you're not!) .

So anyway, let us know what you find ...

[Indalo]

It is a myth that all petrol is the same!

We know now that there are in fact different types of petrol available at the pumps and those differences reflect the quantity of ethanol contained in each fuel. That aside, however, the basic premise that all petrol is the same is correct.

What differentiates one fuel from another is the particular additive package employed by the provider, whether it be Esso, Shell, Tesco or whichever brand one favours. I try to utilise Costco when I can predict the opportunity to combine a trip round the store with a refill of my fuel tank. As yet, I have not managed to arrange that with the Tucson and have refuelled elsewhere.

With only a few hundred miles on the odometer so far, I haven’t exploited the engine’s full potential yet so I can’t make any meaningful comment about range or performance. The Tucson seems to have been designed to run on the most basic petrol on sale in the UK but I may try the ‘single malt’ variety at some point out of curiosity. If I can’t discern any noticeable benefit, then I shan’t waste money on the stuff. Currently, I have E10 in the tank and have had no problems thus far.

[alan sh]

I always use E10 - and I generally get around 43-45mpg on a long run. Yesterday, I filled up at Tescos in Cambridge and then did a 180 mile run back up to Rochdale. It would not go over 39 mpg. So, was it the petrol or was it the clear roads (no traffic at night up the A1 and I stuck to an indicated 71 mph which is 70 on my gps on the open roads)? No idea - but I will keep an eye on it.

[italianjob1970]

I always use E10 - and I generally get around 43-45mpg on a long run. Yesterday, I filled up at Tescos in Cambridge and then did a 180 mile run back up to Rochdale. It would not go over 39 mpg. So, was it the petrol or was it the clear roads (no traffic at night up the A1 and I stuck to an indicated 71 mph which is 70 on my gps on the open roads)? No idea - but I will keep an eye on it.

It will be difficult to get identical weather/traffic conditions on a repeat run to fathom it out.

From the Times website in 2022:
E10 – With 4.5461 litres in a gallon, petrol at the current average of 163.5p a litre would equal £7.43 a gallon. Divide that by 45 and the fuel cost per mile is 16.5p a mile. £20 therefore gets you 121 miles.
E5 – Were E10 and E5 the same price, E5’s better fuel economy at 45.8mpg would give a cost of 16.2p a mile. So £20 would get you 123.5 miles.
But E5 is more expensive than E10 at 166.4p a litre, or £7.56 a gallon – divide that by E5’s 45.8mpg and the cost per mile is 16.5p, and £20 would therefore get you 121 miles.

There's not enough in it to matter or to be noticeable, not for me anyway.
Bear in mind the HEV battery will kick in at different points so might totally skew all of it!

[Indalo]

So, was it the petrol or was it the clear roads

From what I have read, the Hyundai/KIA HEVs are at their least economical at motorway speeds and are at their best in urban/suburban situations where those brief periods of battery-driven propulsion add up to provide the high 40s mpg typical of so many user reports.

I’m not sure I want to use the Tucson for the almost 1500 mile trip to my home in Spain, having averaged 50 mpg in my previous diesels for that journey. Touring around the region and local trips would be fine but the A-B & B-A parts rather spoil things.

‘Ryanair’ makes a lot of sense these days and taxis + use of our bikes counters the shocking cost of hire cars, even in winter, now prevalent in Spain.

[peteh]

I agree with post Number 2.

[Big S]

I drive in Spain quite a lot, including a great deal of motorway miles. and get 48+ miles per gallon using E5 petrol. Usually fill up in Santander to get better MPG for the journey in the U.K. Cannot get more than 45 MPG on the so say eco friendly E10 petrol here. I am very happy the Spanish don't seem to be too bothered about the environment, diesel is still their first choice of fuel when buying cars.

[Keith1956]

Don't have a hybrid vehicle, but I found that my 1600cc Tucson had a tendency to stall when pulling away ( I've been driving for nearly 45 years ) so this was strange to me, tried the E5 fuel and problem solved, engine has more low down power and quieter running, shame you can't get the old fashioned 5 star 101 octane.