Concerns about quality assurance have left consumers hesitant to embrace E5 gasoline.
According to the roadmap for applying the blending ratio of biofuels with traditional fuels, from January 1, 2018, the sale of RON92 gasoline will cease, and only E5 RON92 gasoline and RON95 gasoline will be allowed to be sold on the market.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade requires that, before January 1, 2018, all retail gasoline stations owned by businesses and all general agents, retail gasoline dealers, and authorized retailers within the businesses' distribution system must complete the recall of remaining RON92 gasoline, exchange it for E5 RON92 gasoline, and switch to selling E5 RON95 gasoline.
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| E5RON92 gasoline is widely available. (Illustrative image: Lao Dong Newspaper) |
A survey of several gas stations in Hanoi shows that car drivers mainly still use RON95 gasoline. Motorcyclists, however, seem unconcerned about the type of fuel they use.
At a gas station on Thuy Khue Street (Ba Dinh District), when asked why he didn't choose to buy E5 RON92 gasoline, Mr. Tran Minh Ngoc (a resident of Hoang Hoa Tham Street) said:"I heard that E5 gasoline separates when left unused for a long time, so when the announcement came that RON92 gasoline would stop being sold, I immediately switched to using RON95. A car is a significant asset, and I wouldn't use it until I was confident in its quality. If the car breaks down or needs repairs, it will be very expensive."
Mr. Hoang Anh (My Dinh) said that for several months now he has switched from using RON92 gasoline to RON95 gasoline for his car, and shared:"Even though RON95 gasoline is more expensive, we have peace of mind regarding its quality because it's a traditional mineral gasoline used in transportation worldwide. So far, my family has only used E5 RON92 gasoline for our motorbike because it's cheaper and more economical. After using E5 RON92 for several months now, we haven't had any problems with our motorbike."
Some people don't care about the quality of the gasoline; as long as the car starts and runs and it's cheaper, they'll buy it.Ms. Kieu Linh from Vu Pham Ham, Hanoi, believes that people should buy whichever type of gasoline is cheaper."Usually, car owners who buy large quantities of gasoline are the ones who care about the quality and whether it affects their engines. Motorcyclists, on the other hand, just buy gasoline as long as it keeps their bikes running. If gasoline were to affect their bikes, then by 2030, when the city bans motorbikes, their bikes would be broken," Ms. Linh said.
According to some gas station attendants, customers buying gasoline for company vehicles or taxis often purchase E5 RON92, while those using family cars usually buy RON95. This shows that the quality of E5 RON92 gasoline remains a big question mark in the minds of many consumers../.
