Switching to E10 gasoline from 2026: Worried about quality, afraid of biofuel price

Many experts and businesses believe that there should be an attractive price policy for consumers to use biofuel, while ensuring the quality of this product meets the highest standards.

Experts say it is necessary to ensure the quality of biofuel to create trust for consumers - Photo: N.AN

Along with recommendations to amend a series of tax policies to have competitive prices and improve the quality standards of biofuel, experts also recommend that users carefully consult the use of raw materials from manufacturers suitable for the vehicles used.

According to the expected roadmap just announced by the Ministry of Industry and Trade , E10 bio-fuel will begin to be sold from the beginning of 2026 and E15 will begin to be sold from the beginning of 2031.

However, at the workshop on biofuel development held on August 27, many experts and businesses said that there should be an attractive price policy for consumers to use biofuel, while ensuring the quality of this product meets the highest standards.

Biofuel prices must be more attractive

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien said that biofuel has been provided on a pilot basis in several major cities and initially received positive attention from consumers. To date, key enterprises such as Petrolimex , PVOil... have also prepared their blending and distribution infrastructure, ensuring a synchronous supply of E10 gasoline from January 1, 2026 nationwide.

However, to develop biofuels to completely replace petroleum, according to Mr. Dien, it is necessary to overcome major challenges in technology, policy and market. With the limited domestic biofuel production capacity, accounting for about 40% of demand, imports from the US, Brazil and international partners are necessary.

In addition, it is necessary to expand raw material areas, increase ethanol production capacity, and build strong and feasible mechanisms and policies to encourage production, import and strategic reserve of biofuels.

Mr. Grabiel Ho, Global Green Fuels Center, also said that Vietnam's fuel supply chain is at a key transition stage as the Government prepares to switch from E5 gasoline to E10 gasoline.

“Therefore, ensuring distribution infrastructure to handle large-scale ethanol imports and blending is critical. This transition requires assessing and upgrading ports, terminals and storage facilities in the North, Central and South regions to be ready for implementation,” said Grabiel Ho.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Quang Dung, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex), said that it will have to import a large source of ethanol to meet the blending requirements, because domestic supply is not abundant. Therefore, the group has developed a blending plan, automating the biofuel blending process to optimize the number of tanks used for blending activities.

However, Mr. Dung expects the market to welcome biofuels more enthusiastically to improve the air environment. "There needs to be a tax policy to make biofuel prices more attractive. Including environmental protection tax, it is necessary to stipulate a fixed tax rate on one liter of biofuel sold, adjust the special consumption tax rate for base gasoline blended with biofuel to 7%...", Mr. Dung proposed.

Biofuel quality must be guaranteed

Dr. Pham Huu Tuyen, Center for Research on Power Sources and Self-Propelled Vehicles (School of Mechanical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology), said that through research on the efficiency of using E10 gasoline, it shows that the technical features including: capacity, fuel consumption of vehicles when using E10 are equivalent or improved compared to mineral gasoline.

Accordingly, E10 is suitable for most vehicles in circulation, but may have certain effects on older generation vehicles using carburetor mechanisms. Therefore, Mr. Tuyen recommends that automobile and motorbike manufacturers and importers in Vietnam need to publish a list of vehicle models compatible with E10 gasoline, with recommendations if necessary.

Research results from the Vietnam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (VAMM) and the University of Technology also show that E5RON92-II biofuel is not suitable. Meanwhile, most vehicle lines such as Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Piaggio and SYM are compatible with E10 biofuel and do not require technical changes when using this type of gasoline.

Therefore, VAMM proposes to develop and issue an expansion roadmap suitable to the actual situation in Vietnam. Blending gasoline with higher EURO levels, specifically E10RON95-III and E10RON95-IV gasoline to ensure standards corresponding to vehicle emission standards.

The representative of the Ministry of Industry and Trade said that in reality, it is necessary to use suitable mineral gasoline to blend biofuel, simplifying procedures in implementing the biofuel chain.

"There needs to be appropriate policies to encourage the development of the biofuel industry and the use of biofuel, and better communication work to provide accurate information to consumers," he said.

There needs to be a policy to encourage the production and distribution of biofuel.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, many domestic and international studies and tests confirm that biofuel is safe. Many major car manufacturers such as Toyota, Honda, Ford... or technical organizations such as SAE, the Society of Automotive Engineers - Motorcycles confirm that E5, E10 gasoline is not harmful to engines.

Meanwhile, E10 gasoline has a higher octane rating, helping the engine operate more efficiently and reducing detonation, helping to protect the engine and reduce maintenance costs, prolonging the life of the vehicle. However, businesses believe that the Ministry of Industry and Trade needs to announce the business cost norms for E10 gasoline to ensure full reflection of costs, and to encourage petroleum traders to participate in the production and distribution of biofuel.

In addition, relevant ministries and branches need to review and amend a number of regulations on biofuel standards, adjust the E10 oxygen content and review the ethanol content index with a threshold limit of 10%; develop methods and standards to assess the conformity of test results according to the correct standards.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/chuyen-doi-sang-xang-e10-tu-nam-2026-lo-chat-luong-ngai-gia-ca-xang-sinh-hoc-20250827223238783.htm