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all filling stations to roll out new labels by
September 2019
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labels will help motorists pick the right fuel, whilst
informing them of the biofuel content of both petrol and
diesel
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uniform EU-wide labels will prevent drivers
from filling up with the wrong fuel abroad
Drivers are set to benefit from new labels to help them to easily
identify the right fuel for their vehicle, thanks
to new rules being rolled out
by the Department for Transport.
The labels, which will be accompanied by a wider public
information campaign later this year, will also help drivers
understand the biofuel content of the fuels they use every day.
Last year, the carbon dioxide (CO2) savings from using biofuels in road
transport was equivalent to taking over a million cars off the
UK’s roads.
Blending biofuels into regular petrol and diesel
reduces CO2 emissions, helping us to meet
climate change commitments. Petrol, which contains up to 5%
renewable ethanol, will be labelled ‘E5’, while diesel, which
contains up to 7% biodiesel, will be labelled as ‘B7’.
A DfT spokesperson said:
These new labels will help drivers chose the right fuel for
their vehicle, whilst also highlighting the use of biofuels in
reducing the CO2 emissions from everyday road
vehicles.
Our Road to Zero
strategy set out our ambition to end the sale of
diesel and petrol cars by 2040, while the ongoing decarbonising
of traditional fuels will help during this transition.
The labels will appear on the pumps on every forecourt and on the
filler caps of all new vehicles, allowing motorists to easily
match the correct fuel to their car or motorbike.
These labels will be increasingly important as new fuels come
onto the market. In 2018 we issued a call for evidence on
whether and how best to introduce E10, a petrol grade with up
to 10% renewable ethanol. We plan to issue our response to this
later in 2019.
