Stu
Scary stuff indeed. However, have a look at this:
http://www.adac.de/infotestrat/tank...benzin-und-diesel/e10/default.aspx?tabid=tab3
The article states that E10 fuel will be offered in addition to the previously available "E5" fuels (with only 5% bioethanol). According to the second paragraph (
"Bestandsschutzregelung für nicht E10-taugliche Fahrzeuge"), the regulation states that every petrol station which sells Super E10 also has to sell Super E5. The same applies to Super Plus (Super = 95 RON, Super Plus = 98 RON). Exemptions are possible only for very small petrol stations.
The next paragraph (
"Trotz E10...") states that in Germany, petrol companies are required "as per the regulations" to continue to offer E5 fuels indefinitely, and that this requirement could only be revoked if the regulations are amended (which is not proposed).
This means that [in this respect] the regulations in Germany will go over and above the requirements of the EU regulation. The EU regulation only requires fuel companies to provide E5 fuel until at least 2013.
Pumps dispensing E10 fuels will have to be clearly marked.
Will it be Europe wide? Probably, given that it's an EU regulation which requires this. However, it may take some time before the EU regs become national law...
What happens if you tank it by accident? Elsewhere on the page it says that E10 fuels may corrode aluminium and cause leaky seals and fuel lines. The scary thing is that according to this article, the corrosion may start even if you use E10 fuel only once, and once started it cannot be stopped.
So it may be a case of "new fuel tank, new fuel lines, new engine".
. No idea whether this is just scaremongering or whether it really is that bad.
However, if Mr. Röttgen (the environment minister) is to be believed (and I haven't read the interview which the ADAC article is quoting from) it appears that your b won't go thirsty in the near future.
If I remember correctly it's going to replace 95 E5 here, so it will be 95 E10 , doesn't really matter for me since I only put 98 E5 to b.
barchetta_97 - I would imagine all this applies to both 95 and 98 RON fuel?
Regards
Giorgio