Prices at the pumps are reaching record highs. There is a cheaper alternative, at least for water-cooled Brazibay owners. We just can't get to it.
That's not strictly true. We can get to it, just not very easily in the UK.
I'm talking about E85, often labelled bio-ethanol fuel. As mentioned in a previous post on this site, we've moved recently from E5 to E10 as the standard petrol in this country. The number represents the percentage of the fuel which is ethanol, and it was raised in standard UK petrol in 2021 as part of the government and fuel companies' commitments towards reducing emissions.
So, as you've probably guessed, E85 is 85% ethanol. This, in theory, is a much cleaner fuel and should be cheaper to produce. So why don't we have it here in the UK?
Why it isn't on British forecourts
There are a few reasons. Firstly, not all petrol vehicles can run on it. However, while digging around on this subject, it seems that most modern engines can be remapped to accommodate the fuel and even 100% ethanol. But for many, that is itself costly.
Secondly, while in theory it is cheap to produce, the means of producing it are lacking in the UK. It is found on a significant number of forecourts across the continent, where the crops used in the production of bio-ethanol are grown at a much larger scale than in the UK. With added import and processing costs, it wouldn't be as cheap here as it is on the continent (around 85¢ a litre in France, June 2022).
For a short period circa 2006, Morrisons began offering E85 at its petrol stations. The venture was short-lived and the fuel was eventually withdrawn, seemingly due to a lack of customer demand.
The case for bringing it back
There are a number of driving factors which could be cited as valid reasons for a resumption of E85 sales in the UK. In the early 2000s, while fuel in the UK was considered highly priced, the gap between the price of bio-ethanol and regular fuel was not as wide, which is possibly a reason people didn't opt for often pricey vehicle changes or alterations. The price gap has since widened significantly. As I write this, petrol in the UK is passing £2 a litre on many forecourts.
Engine compatibility has improved, meaning more drivers are able to make the direct switch from E5 or E10 straight to high ethanol content petrols. LPG and diesel are being phased out in the coming years, meaning demand for petrol will increase, and with it the need to make the stock go further. E85 is a ready-made solution.
However, the production supply chain may also come under further strain, due to the ongoing effect of the conflict in Ukraine on that country's crop exports.
It is, as mentioned earlier, in theory a cleaner fuel, even taking into account the fact that fuel consumption can increase by up to 25%. There is much debate over whether the production is energy efficient, with claims that it contributes more carbon emissions through small-yield farming processes and supply chains. I haven't seen the figures, so I can't comment on those claims. But as the cost of living rises, even a small saving at the forecourt could be significant to many families.
If you're heading to the continent
If you're lucky enough to be taking your van, be it a Brazibay or another compatible vehicle, to the continent, plan ahead. Get E85 while you can. Total garages seem to supply it as standard, as do many supermarkets and Aires in France.
I drove from Paris back to the Cotswolds for €45. When I next filled up back in the UK I got around two thirds of a tank for roughly the same price.
Where to next?