Designed to help European consumers choose the right fuel for their vehicles, no matter which country they are in the European Union (EU), the new directive stipulates, from the outset, that all new cars sold in the EU must pass. to present a sticker with the new names of the fuels next to the nozzle of the tank.
At the same time, fuel traders will also have to make changes to the name, at the pumps, in order to match the new nomenclature, whose entry into force is scheduled for the next October 12th, to the new reality.
The new names of fuels
Regarding the new names themselves, they also aim to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, so the letters that identify gasoline and diesel, respectively "E" and "B", refer to their composition, in this case, containing, respectively, Ethanol and BioDiesel in its composition.
The numbers in front of the letters “E” and “B” therefore refer to the amount of Ethanol and BioDiesel present in the fuels. As an example, E5 refers to gasoline with 5% ethanol present in its composition. All denominations and what they mean.
| Tag | Fuel | Composition | Equivalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| E5 | Gasoline | 5% ethanol | Conventional 95 and 98 octane gasolines |
| E10 | Gasoline | 10% ethanol | Conventional 95 and 98 octane gasolines |
| E85 | Gasoline | 85% ethanol | Bioethanol |
| B7 | Diesel | 7% biodiesel | conventional diesel |
| B30 | Diesel | 30% biodiesel | Can be marketed as BioDiesel in some stations |
| XTL | Diesel | Synthetic diesel | |
| H2 | Hydrogen | ||
| CNG/CNG | Compressed Natural Gas | ||
| LNG/LNG | Liquefied Natural Gas | ||
| LPG/GPL | Liquefied Petroleum Gas |
The question of compatibilities
In terms of compatibility, an E85 vehicle can also, from the outset, use E5 and E10 gasoline, but the opposite is not the case — for example, a car designed to consume E5 cannot use E10; an “H” vehicle, that is, of the fuel cell type, is not compatible with anything else; and, finally, “G” cars (some type of gas) will, in principle, be able to use the type of fuel intended for them, but also gasoline.
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Also applicable outside the EU, this new European directive is the result of a joint effort by the European Association of Automobile Manufacturers (ACEA), the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM), the Association of Fuel Distributors (ECFD), of the entity which defends the interests of oil refining companies with the EU (FuelsEurope) and the Union of Independent Fuel Suppliers (UPEI).