British tourists warned over French biofuel

Description:

Motorists driving through France are being warned of the damaging effects of a new biofuel , which can be damaging to older cars, according to The Telegraph.

The petrol called '95-E10' is a mixture of regular unleaded fuel and ethanol, suitable for newer cars, but damaging to vehicles registered before the year 2000, according to the RAC.

The E10, which has been gradually distributed across stations in France since 1 April, and which the French government has admitted is incompatible with 40 per cent of vehicles on the road, can damage engines of cars registered before the year 2000, according to Holland's national automobile association, the ANWB.

Markus van Tol, a spokesman for the Dutch break-down repair service said that "filling up just a few tanks of the new biofuel could lead to problems with pipes and connectors".  Regular use could leave long-lasting damage, he added.

The RAC are advising motorists to look for any signage, such as E10, or the letters 'bio' to guide them in making a choice of which fuel to use.

The petrol's introduction follows an EU directive relating to the quality of fuels which states that all petrol must include between 5 and 10 per cent of ethanol by 2013. The French energy ministry advised motorists with cars older than nine years to continue using Euro 98 or 95.

Like this story? Why not use our RSS feed and receive updates as soon as they are posted? Or join us as a member and receive a monthly newsletter.

Check out Guide2PoitouCharentes for Property in Poitou Charentes, Events, News, Classifieds, Places to Stay, Poitou Charentes Attractions and Poitou Charente Businesses.