People still prioritize RON 95 gasoline
After more than 10 days of being put into business, E10 biofuel (1% Pethanol) in Ho Chi Minh City is gradually being accepted by consumers, however, the amount of gasoline sold is not high.
Recorded at many Petrolimex gas stations in Ho Chi Minh City, the E10 gas station area is sparsely visited, most of them still choose RON 95 gasoline. Customers using E10 are mainly introduced by staff.
Mr. Tran Van Hieu (Tan Thuan ward) shared: "I heard about new types of gasoline but was still quite hesitant, so I still chose RON 95 gasoline to reassure my vehicles when moving."
Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hung - a technology car driver - said that he used to use E10 gasoline but then returned to use RON 95 for convenience. I see the car running normally, there is no problem with E10 gasoline, but not all stores sell this type. When traveling, I often stop to fill up with gas at the nearest tree for convenience.
According to the head stores of some gas stations, the store is estimated to sell about 2,000 - 6,000 liters/day of E10 gasoline, double the initial implementation period. However, the sales of RON 95 gasoline are still the main force.
Talking to Lao Dong, a representative of Petroleum Company Region II (Petrolimex Saigon) said that the current situation of selling E10 gasoline is similar to the time when E5 gasoline was first launched in 2014, when consumers were not familiar with it.
"Some customers are willing to use it, but others choose to return to use mineral gasoline for peace of mind. Therefore, the current consumption situation is normal, because any new product needs time to penetrate the market for consumers to get acquainted" - said a representative of the Petroleum Company Region II.
Creating the habit of using this biofuel will take time, along with coordination between businesses and management agencies to raise awareness, helping consumers feel secure in their choices.
E5 gasoline has "lost steam", will E10 repeat it?
The actual consumption of biofuel in Ho Chi Minh City in recent years shows that, despite being encouraged to use it to protect the environment, this type of fuel has not yet created a strong attraction.
Even E5 gasoline - a fuel that was once widely expected - is having difficulty in consumption as the number of stores is decreasing, showing that the habit of using mineral gasoline still dominates.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade noted that the number of E5 gasoline stores in the area is decreasing sharply. In 2018, there were 282/532 stores selling this type of gasoline, but by March 2025, the number was only 105/548 stores.
The reason is that propaganda work is not extensive enough to change consumption habits, while people are still concerned about quality. In addition, the market currently only has E5 RON92 gasoline, while many new-age vehicles with high compression ratings need gasoline with octan 95 value, but E5 RON95 gasoline has not been provided.
Therefore, in order for E10 gasoline to be widely accepted, in addition to expanding sales points, it is necessary to promote communication and diversify products, while helping consumers understand the benefits and feel secure in using this environmentally friendly fuel.
