It is now four years since I started driving a car powered by bio-ethanol.  Those four years ended yesterday when I returned the car to the dealer with only a few days left to run on the lease.

The car that I have replaced it with no longer runs on bio-ethanol (E85), although it does use the new E10 fuel.

So how have those four years been and why did I switch back?

Well, whilst on the one hand it was nice to try something new (more…)

There has been a lot of discussion recently in Germany about the introduction of the new E10 petrol.

• Is it really good for the environment?

• Does it really cut CO2 emissions?

• Will it cause monotonous landscapes and food shortages?

However I am sure that the question on most motorists’ minds is “will it damage my car?” (more…)

2011 saw the introduction of a new type of petrol in Germany: E10.

What sounds like a London post code is actually a mixture of normal petrol and bio-ethanol.  10% bio-ethanol to be precise, hence the name.

The reason for this is an EU directive (2009/30/EG) which intends to

• reduce carbon-dioxide emissions
• reduce dependency on the oil-producing countries

A similar step was taken a few years ago, when E5 was introduced – with 5% bio-ethanol. (more…)