Many motorbike owners are still unsure if the new E5 fuel being sold nationwide suits their vehicles, and authorities need to improve public awareness accordingly, officials admit.— Photo cafef.vn

HÀ NỘI — Many motorbike owners are still unsure if the new E5 fuel being sold nationwide suits their vehicles, and authorities need to improve public awareness accordingly, officials admit.

They say that this task is incumbent upon the Ministry of Trade and Industry, local departments and related agencies.

E5 fuel is a mix of A92 petrol (95 per cent) and biofuel ethanol (5 per cent).

Since it went on sale on January 1, replacing RON92 petrol, the biofuel mix has failed to attract expected attention from local drivers, although it is a cheaper alternative.

The retail selling price of E5 biofuel is about VNĐ2,000 (8.9 US cents) per litre cheaper than that of RON92 petrol at VNĐ18,243.

Meanwhile, the retail selling price of RON95 petrol has been increased by VNĐ760-810 per litre to more than VNĐ20,690.

However, since many people are still unsure, they have opted to buy the more expensive A95 petrol.

Trần Vũ Thiên Thanh of HCM City’s District 4 said she was used to buying RON 92. Since it is not available, she was spending more money on A95 because she was not sure if the new E5 biofuel would suit her old motorbike.

Lê Minh Tuấn of HCM City’s Phú Nhuận District said there was little information about E5 and people were still waiting to know which vehicles could use the fuel.

Even the staff at petrol stations had little information to convey, expect saying it was more environmentally friendly.

The Department of Industry and Trade of HCM City said it has taken steps to encourage people to use E5.

Department spokesman Võ Lê Bích Đồng said they would co-operate with the Ministry of Information and Communications as well as the media to improve awareness of E5. He noted that traders thought that they should be given tax exemptions for selling the fuel.

In HCM City, all 534 petrol stations have stopped selling RON 92, replacing it with the E5 fuel.

Phan Thị Việt Thu, vice chairwoman of HCM City Consumers Protection Association, said the authorities should provide information to customers on E5 standards, quality and benefits. They should also enhance inspections and monitoring of E5 quality, she said.

The Ttade ministry has asked departments of industry and trade to step up enhance supervision of petrol traders, distributors, wholesalers and petrol stations.

Deputy Trade Minister Hoàng Quốc Vượng has directed localities and agencies to strictly punish those still selling RON 92.

According to PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PV Oil), the sale of E5 at its stations reached 600-650cu.m per day, accounting for 70 per cent of its total petrol sales.

PVOil said that all of its stations have replaced RON 92 with E5 bio-fuel since the beginning of the year.

The corporation has 11 E5 mixing stations that are operating well and is investing in other such facilities. It has ensured stable supply of E5 to its retail network of 540 petrol fuel stations and more than 3,000 agencies. — VNS