He speaks about the issue in the interview below:

Starting June 1, E10 gasoline will be rolled out nationwide to replace traditional mineral gasoline. However, many consumers still harbor concerns regarding the quality and compatibility of this fuel. How do you view this issue?

On August 1, 2025, right when PVOIL launched the pilot sale of E10 gasoline in Hanoi, I was among the first to seek out a petrol station selling E10 to experience it firsthand.

No government would ever encourage its citizens to use a product that harms their personal property, even if it is for environmental protection purposes.

Returning to my personal choice of filling up with E10 starting August 1, 2025, up until now, I have felt no difference in driving performance compared to using RON95 mineral gasoline. When driving on highways, I even feel the car accelerates more strongly.

I heard concerns from foreign documents and discussions online about gasoline separating into layers if left unused for too long. However, after nearly 10 months using E10, the longest period my car sat unused was about 1.5 months, and when I restarted it, the engine still started normally.

Prior to that, we worked with biofuel experts from the US, Thailand, and the Philippines, and they all noted that fuel separation could occur if gasoline is left unused for a long period, at least around two months. Therefore, they recommend avoiding leaving vehicles unused for many months. If a vehicle is not used regularly, the engine should be started about once every two weeks.

During the drafting of Circular 50, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) worked with automobile and motorcycle associations as well as many vehicle manufacturers. In those discussions, did the parties issue any warnings or specific lists of vehicles incompatible with E10 gasoline?

Yes. During the policymaking process, we worked with the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (VAMA), the Vietnam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (VAMM) and vehicle manufacturers.

VAMM confirmed that most motorcycles currently operating in Vietnam are compatible with E10 gasoline, except for some very old models.

Similarly, VAMA stated that basically all automobiles assembled and manufactured in Vietnam are compatible with E10 gasoline, except for one light truck model produced from 1996 to 2023, around 60,000 vehicles in total, which may not be compatible. That is why, after consideration, we decided to maintain E5 gasoline sale so that very old vehicles incompatible with E10 can still use E5.

The critical issue does not lie in the percentage of E5 or E10, but rather the octane rating (RON) of the base gasoline. When deploying the Biofuel Program back in 2012, Vietnam utilized RON92 base gasoline to blend into E5. At that time, RON92 was considered a relatively high octane level in a market where RON80 and RON83 were still widespread.

However, as engine technology develops, automakers later recommend using RON95 gasoline to reduce knocking and help engines run more smoothly and stably. Therefore, the shift toward RON95 mainly comes from engine technical requirements, not from whether ethanol is present in the fuel.

As a result, when RON95 gasoline is used as the base fuel to blend into E10 gasoline, modern vehicles can use it well. Meanwhile, very old vehicles or old agricultural machinery that may not be compatible with E10 can still use E5RON92 gasoline. Therefore, consumers can feel completely reassured because the market will still provide suitable fuels for different engine generations.

Why don’t we think of allowing E10 gasoline and traditional mineral gasoline to circulate in parallel?

E10 gasoline should actually have been implemented since 2017, but only now do conditions allow for nationwide deployment.

The first goal of using E10 gasoline is reducing emissions and protecting the environment. According to calculations, every liter of mineral gasoline burned emits around 2.3-2.5kg of CO2 into the environment. Vietnam’s annual gasoline consumption demand is around 10-12 million cubic meters. If ethanol is blended at a 10 percent ratio, mineral gasoline consumption could be reduced by around 1 million cubic meters, equivalent to cutting about 2.5 million tons of CO2 emissions annually.

Following a resurgence of deposit rate hikes at certain banks, SBV further tightened monetary market discipline. On May 14, Official Dispatch 3972 was issued with the request to inspect the implementation of rate cuts at bank branches. Just one week later, on May 21, SBV followed up with Official Dispatch 4190, demanding strict adherence across the entire system and severe penalties for non-compliance.

Tam An