From 2026, only E10 gasoline will be sold, from 2031, E15 gasoline will be required.

While users are still hesitant to use biofuel, businesses are struggling to prepare and wait for the conversion mechanism, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has proposed mandatory use of biofuel from January 1, 2026, completely replacing mineral gasoline.

Many businesses believe that the initial implementation will certainly be confusing because consumers using high-quality car lines are still skeptical about the efficiency and quality of the products - Photo: NHAT XUAN

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has just released a draft circular stipulating the roadmap for applying the blending ratio of biofuels with traditional fuels in Vietnam for public consultation. Accordingly, from January 1, 2026, all gasoline blended, mixed, and sold for use in motor vehicles using gasoline engines nationwide will be E10 gasoline.

This is a mandatory coordination roadmap, requiring petroleum business units to use 100% ethanol mixed with mineral gasoline for distribution and use in gasoline-powered vehicles nationwide.

Must be completely converted from the beginning of 2026

To implement the roadmap, the Ministry of Industry and Trade assigned the Department of Innovation - Green Transformation and Industrial Promotion to guide units in mixing, blending, and trading biofuels and biogasoline according to the roadmap.

In addition, this agency must review, develop and submit documents to promulgate national technical standards and regulations related to the production, storage, mixing, blending, transportation and distribution of biofuel products and E10 biofuel.

Localities are also required to have plans to develop and issue policies to support the development of raw material sources, support businesses to invest in building biofuel production plants, and blending and mixing infrastructure for effective business.

Speaking with Tuoi Tre, Mr. Dao Duy Anh - Deputy Director of the Department of Innovation - Green Transformation and Industrial Promotion, said that with this roadmap, all gasoline products sold on the market (including RON92, RON95, RON97) must be mixed with 10% ethanol.

This is to meet the demand for high-quality biofuel for car models on the market, according to manufacturers' recommendations for using fuel suitable for the engine. In fact, Mr. Duy Anh said that he himself also uses E10 gasoline for his car "very normally" and has no problems.

Some petroleum companies that are distributing this product also promote and encourage their employees to use biofuel. Through a survey of businesses, the conversion from mineral gasoline to biofuel has been prepared and is ready to be implemented as soon as the roadmap is issued.

According to Mr. Duy Anh, previously only E5RON92 bio-fuel, which is mainly suitable for old vehicles and is not prioritized for use, was circulated with mineral gasoline products. Therefore, when applying the mandatory E10 blending ratio to all gasoline products on the market, it will meet all the needs of high-quality gasoline consumers.

"Many modern cars and motorbikes require a higher octane rating, so users fill up with RON95 gasoline due to engine requirements. Therefore, in the future, if biofuel is fully mixed with mineral gasoline, it will meet all consumer requirements, such as RON95 gasoline, which is recommended by car manufacturers and can also be mixed with ethanol, and this product can be used," said Mr. Duy Anh.

Businesses are still... struggling to wait for regulations

Speaking to Tuoi Tre, many petroleum wholesalers and distributors said they are still struggling with this roadmap. According to a representative of a petroleum wholesaler in the West, although they have invested in two mixing systems and applied for a license to blend biofuel, they still lack a testing room as required.

Meanwhile, the investment cost for this system is up to 30 billion VND, a huge amount of money, so it will affect the overall business efficiency of the enterprise.

Therefore, this enterprise is skeptical about the possibility of completely replacing mineral gasoline with biofuel on the market starting from the beginning of next year.

"The initial implementation will certainly be confusing, and it will be difficult to apply 100% to all products. Especially when consumers using high-quality car lines are still wondering and skeptical about the effectiveness and quality of the product," he said.

A key enterprise in Dong Nai also said that it is not in a hurry to invest in a mixing station but plans to outsource the conversion in the beginning. According to this person, in addition to the relatively large investment cost of the mixing station, the enterprise is also concerned that the policy may be unstable and change when the market demand is not really interested in this product.

This person cited the fact that E5RON92 gasoline sales were very low because consumers did not choose it, forcing the company to stop selling biofuel. Therefore, this company proposed to maintain some high-quality gasoline products such as RON97 to meet a small part of consumer demand.

Mr. Bui Ngoc Bao - Chairman of the Vietnam Petroleum Association - also said that the complete replacement of bio-fuel with mineral gasoline in the market requires careful preparation. Although key enterprises and petroleum distributors have been preparing since the beginning of the year, there needs to be an official regulation approved soon so that enterprises can base on it to effectively implement.

"In addition to issues such as logistics, there must be preparation, mixing products... The roadmap must be announced early and decisions must be issued immediately so that businesses can carry out tasks such as cleaning tanks and other tasks.

Along with regulations on the implementation roadmap, other regulations related to standards and technical regulations must also be issued synchronously to change in accordance with reality, update synchronously and more fully..." - Mr. Bao said.

From 2031, E15 gasoline will be required.

Also according to the roadmap announced by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in phase 2 from January 1, 2031, all gasoline mixed, blended, and sold for use in motor vehicles using gasoline engines nationwide will be E15 gasoline or bio-gasoline with other mixing ratios according to regulations.

The use of this item will be based on the development status of motor vehicles, socio -economic development conditions, production conditions, import of biofuels, biogasoline and ensuring energy security.

To implement the above roadmap, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said it will issue a number of regulations to require the blending of E10 into all gasoline sold on the market. Provide full information on the significance of use as well as the safety of biofuel.

Along with that, there will be decentralization among units under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, People's Committees of provinces and cities and state-owned enterprises for effective implementation. As for oil products, there are no regulations requiring the use of bio-oil, but organizations and individuals are encouraged to participate in the production, blending, mixing, trading and use of bio-diesel (B5, B10).

To implement the roadmap for switching to E10 gasoline and then E15, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has directed the Department of Innovation - Green Transformation and Industrial Promotion to research and upgrade technology, equipment, and techniques for producing biofuels and second-generation biofuels.

NGOC AN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tu-2026-chi-ban-xang-e10-tu-2031-bat-buoc-dung-xang-e15-20250826223016745.htm