Ethanol-rich E85 Fuel Now Available in 4,000 Filling Stations in France

(Bioéthanol France/ePURE) Thanks to the commitment of all E85 fuel distributors in France, the milestone of 4,000 E85 filling stations nationwide has just been reached. Today, nearly 42% of French service stations are equipped with E85, the renewable fuel that favours motorists’ purchasing power. Sold at an average of €0.72 per liter, E85 fuel allows drivers to save around €730 per year for 13,000 km driven. Cheaper, greener, and increasingly available, E85 fuel is a solution to decarbonize the existing and future Petrol and hybrid car fleet, alongside electrification.

E85 fuel, more and more available

In November 2025, E85 fuel crossed a new milestone, making it even more accessible to motorists. It is now available in 4,000 service stations across France, covering 42% of the national network. As a result, nearly 93% of French people2 live within less than 10 km from an E85 station. Drivers can easily find nearby stations or those along their route thanks to the “Mes Stations E85” app, available on iOS and Android, which lists all stations and updates prices daily.

A fuel that protects the purchasing power of French households

As of 21 November 2025, the average price of E85 fuel is 0.72€/l3, compared to 1.71€/l for SP95-E10. A motorist driving 13,000 km per year (the French average) can save about €735 on their annual fuel budget. High-mileage drivers covering 20,000 km annually can expect savings around €1130. (These calculations take into account a 25% overconsumption.)

E85 fuel: decarbonizing today’s and tomorrow’s vehicles

Containing between 60% and 85% bioethanol, E85 fuel reduces net CO2 emissions by an average of 50%4 and particle emissions by up to 90%5 compared to fossil gasoline.

Drivers can use it either by installing an approved flex-E85 conversion box on a compatible gasoline vehicle, or by driving a flex-fuel vehicle available directly from manufacturers—new, such as the Ford Kuga Full Hybrid Flex-E85, or second-hand.

French-produced bioethanol is made almost entirely from French agriculture (sugar beet, wheat, maize, sugar industry residues, starch by-products, and wine residues) in distilleries located close to farming areas. In 2023, bioethanol production used only 0.66% of French agricultural land, net of co-products6. Moreover, palm oil is not a raw material for ethanol production.

At the European level, the regulation on CO2 emissions for light vehicles already provides a role for vehicles running exclusively on CO2 neutral fuels after 2035. Within this framework, work is underway to develop a fossil-free E85 fuel, in which the fossil gasoline share is replaced by renewable gasoline (such as bio-naphtha, a co-product of Sustainable Aviation Fuel or HVO production). Such a fuel already exists in California since 2022. This will allow motorists to continue driving conveniently while further decarbonizing their journeys.

Excerpt from Bioéthanol France: About the Bioethanol Collective:
The Bioethanol Collective is represented by the Interprofessional Association of Beet and Sugar (AIBS) and Bioethanol France (formerly SNPAA). Its objective is to inform professionals and the general public about the bioethanol sector. Bioethanol is currently blended into gasoline in France, either pure or in a derivative, up to 7.5% (including a maximum of 5% pure ethanol) in SP95 and SP98, up to 10% in SP95-E10, and up to 85% in Superethanol-E85. For more information: https://www.bioethanolcarburant.com/ READ MORE