| UPDATED: 15:13, Tue, Mar 9, 2021
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Experts at the RAC have warned those who own vehicles incompatible with the new petrol will need to continue to use E5. However, E5 fuel will become the premium super grade petrol when E10 is made the standard which could see costs dramatically rise.
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They urge drivers to top up their tank with E5 as soon as possible, ideally before at least a third of the tank has been used.
RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said it was “vital” owners of older models were “aware of the changes”.
He has called for the DVLA to inform owners personally of the change and how they can ensure their cars are protected.
He said: "It is also vital that owners of affected vehicles are aware of the changes.
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“We’d like to see the DVLA writing to these owners to inform them that E5 will no longer be the standard premium grade, and to let them know their options.”
This would be the equivalent of taking up to 350,000 polluting cars off Britain’s roads.
However, many drivers are set to be affected by the changes with some of the UK’s leading manufacturers admitting some models will not be able to run the new fuel.
A report from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) detailed which models may be incompatible.
They found the Ford Model 1.8 SCI from 2003 to 2007 was the only model since 1992 which could not use the new fuel.
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Volkswagen has claimed E10 is cleared for use in all models except for a few exceptions.
This included classic variants of their popular Golf and Polo models as well as classic Lupo, Bora and Touran cars.
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The RAC has warned seals, plastics and metals may be damaged due to the petrol's corrosive properties.
It is estimated as many as 600,000 vehicles on the road are incompatible with the new petrol.
As a general rule, drivers of cars registered before 2002 are advised to not use E10 in their vehicles as problems have been reported.
The RAC has urged drivers to contract their car manufacturer with any questions regarding specific vehicles to ensure they get up to date information.
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Volvo is not the only major car manufacturer to suffer from the issue with the ACEA listing many of the most popular brands.
E10 contains a higher percentage of ethanol which can cause damage to components in older vehicles.
Tests from the Department for Transport (DfT) showed E10 can lead to degradation of fuel hose and seals, blacked fuel filters and damaged fuel pumps.
Carburettors and fuel tanks can become corroded by the new fuel while a car’s injectors could also become blocked.
The ACEA report has urged drivers to make sure they check their vehicle is compatible before topping up their cars with the new fuel.
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The report said: “In countries that offer E10 petrol, before you fill your vehicle with petrol please check that your vehicle is compatible with the use of E10 petrol.
“Anyone who owns a car made before 2001 needs to check the compatibility of their vehicle with the new fuel.”
Last year’s DfT report said vehicle compatibility had been the main barrier to the introduction of E10 so far.
The report said not all vehicles had been approved by their manufacturers to use fuel with more than five percent ethanol.
It claimed the majority of vehicles registered in the UK are approved for use with E10 with the number decreasing every year.
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Last year, the DfT said there were around 400,000 older family cars which may not be able to use the new fuel with this figure set to halve by the time the new fuel is introduced.
“These models can only use regular unleaded or premium unleaded petrol."
The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) has confirmed all petrol BMW models are cleared to use E10 regardless of their year of manufacture.
However, the minimum octane required should still meet the guidelines set out in the owner’s manual.
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E10 fuel is cleared for all Fiat models with petrol engines of Euro 3 mission levels or newer starting from models built after the year 2000.
Last year, a DfT consultation revealed the Government was working towards a 2021 implementation date for the new fuel.
However, no date has yet been officially agreed, hinting the changes could be scheduled for the autumn.