Ahead of its nationwide rollout in early 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Trade piloted the use of E10 biofuel in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Hai Phong from August 1. However, several Petrolimex gas stations in Ho Chi Minh City began selling E10 biofuel to interested customers on July 29 and 30, ahead of the official pilot launch. This proactive move aimed to prepare for the upcoming pilot program.
At a Petrolimex gas station located at the intersection of Hai Ba Trung and Tran Cao Van streets, E10 biofuel was made available, and customers were inquiring about it. The station attendants would first ask for the customer’s preference and provide a brief introduction to E10 biofuel before dispensing it.
The station also installed an additional information board about E10 biofuel and used a loudspeaker to inform customers about the environmental benefits of this eco-friendly fuel.
Several Petrolimex gas stations in Ho Chi Minh City started selling E10 biofuel ahead of the official August 1 launch.
Meanwhile, at the station on the corner of Phan Xich Long and Hoa Su streets, one out of every four pumps offered E10 biofuel. Similarly, on July 30, other Petrolimex stations on Pham Hong Thai Street and the corner of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Pasteur streets also began selling this new fuel type.
On July 30, the retail price of E10 biofuel at these stations was listed at 19,490 VND per liter, which is 540 VND lower than RON95 gasoline (priced at 20,030 VND per liter). Despite the price advantage, customers are still cautious and not yet fully embracing the new biofuel.
According to a station attendant on Song Hanh Street, most customers are not well-informed about E10 biofuel. Only those who previously used E5 biofuel actively inquire about it, while the majority stick to RON95 gasoline out of habit.
As per the plan, from August 1, Petrolimex will pilot the sale of E10 biofuel at 36 stations in Ho Chi Minh City (excluding the areas of Binh Duong and the former Vung Tau province) to assess market response and practical implementation before a nationwide rollout.
Mr. Nguyen Ha Thanh, a resident of Gia Dinh Ward, expressed support for environmentally friendly initiatives but suggested a gradual transition to biofuels to avoid a repeat of the E5 biofuel situation, which was introduced but then seemingly disappeared from gas stations after a while.
E5 biofuel was introduced at the end of 2015 and completely replaced RON 92 gasoline by early 2018. However, after a period of implementation, E5 biofuel seems to have vanished from gas stations.
According to Petrolimex, E10 biofuel is a blend of fossil-based gasoline and bioethanol, with the latter comprising 9-10% by volume, as per the national technical regulation QCVN 01:2022/BKHCN.
E5 biofuel is hardly available at gas stations nowadays.
Research conducted in Vietnam and internationally has shown that ethanol has a high oxygen content, improving the combustion process of the fuel mixture. As a result, E10 biofuel can reduce carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions by up to 20% compared to traditional fossil fuels.
E10 biofuel is also considered engine-friendly and, upon widespread adoption, will entirely replace E5RON92, RON95-III, and RON95-IV gasoline.
Regarding the supply of E10 biofuel, there are currently six ethanol plants in Vietnam, two of which are operational in Dong Nai and Quang Nam, with an annual production capacity of about 100,000 cubic meters. If all six plants become operational, the estimated production capacity could reach 500,000 cubic meters.
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