A-95 with bioethanol vs. A-98: how to save money without harming your car
16 June 2025 13:44
ANALYSIS
Ukrainian motorists have plenty of fuel to fill their cars with. And that’s a good thing. But not so long ago, this choice was somewhat limited by obliging gas stations to sell, and car owners to actually buy, gasoline with a bioethanol content of at least 5%. However, there is a proven, but more expensive, and seemingly increasingly popular, alternative – high-octane gasoline.
"Komersant Ukrainian" found out whether motorists should pay more and whether there are still reasons not to trust gasoline with alcohol.
A few days ago, it became known that in May 2025, Ukraine imported a record 5 thousand tons of high-octane gasoline of A-98/100 grades. Some attributed this growth to consumer distrust of gasoline with bioethanol. That’s why they are supposedly choosing gasoline with an octane rating of 98 and above, which is not subject to the requirements for adding bioethanol. Is this really the reason?
Director of the consulting group A-95 Sergiy Kuyun agrees that there is a certain distrust of gasoline with alcohol added.
“The fact is that alcohol additives have a bad reputation. That is, these discussions have been going on for many years and there have been many fair warnings and a lot of outright manipulation and speculation,”
– the expert emphasizes.
What is really wrong… or is it with this gasoline?
Leonid Kosyanchuk, an expert on the petroleum products market, is convinced that this 5% bioethanol additive to gasoline will not cause any harm to the car. According to him, it can only slightly increase the fuel consumption of a car, because bioethanol produces less energy.
“This 5 percent of bioethanol in gasoline adds problems for market operators and does not do any harm to cars. Unless the car was made in 2000, then there may be problems with rubber seals, etc., because bioethanol dissolves them. However, 5 percent is nothing. The system will not see it,”
– says the expert.
Sergiy Sapegin, director of Psychea Research and Technology Center, recalls studies by the European Commission, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and SAE International that have proven that bioethanol in concentrations up to 10% (E10) does not harm modern engines and even reduces the detonation risk. Moreover, all gasoline cars manufactured after 2000 are certified to run on E10. In Ukraine, only E5 has been introduced.
“In fact, bioethanol is a local resource that creates jobs in the agricultural sector, reduces currency dependence and supports the Ukrainian economy, promotes the greening of transport in line with European policy,”
– the expert states.
At the same time, the director of the consulting group “A-95” Sergiy Kuyun considers it appropriate to remind that gasoline with alcohol is still a product that is quite capricious to transportation and storage conditions.
“If you do not comply with the relevant standards, it can lead to fuel spoilage and stratification due to the hygroscopicity of alcohol. Alcohol draws moisture, and if this process is not controlled, the fuel will simply stratify into alcohol, water and low-octane gasoline. And it will no longer be possible to use it,”
– the expert notes.
He believes that at the delivery stage – and now we are talking about deliveries from Europe – the quality of the fuel is unlikely to decline. But at the stage of storage at oil depots or gas stations, control and a new technological culture are needed.
In fact, according to Sergiy Kuyun, this May proved that fears about the quality of bioethanol gasoline were not justified.
“For almost two months now, everyone has been driving on gasoline with alcohol, and I have not heard of any complaints, nor have I seen any such reports on social media. This is very significant and indicates that the market has prepared and coped with it well,”
– the expert emphasized.
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“Growing popularity” of A-98/100 gasoline
Leonid Kosyanchuk, an expert on the oil products market, believes that the reports of a rush to buy A-98/100 are purely a marketing ploy and even a manifestation of unfair competition.
“These are marketing things, after all – publications that someone is switching to fuel for more than UAH 60 because they are afraid that their $10,000 car will be damaged by bioethanol fuel. And someone else invites them to have their fuel system cleaned because bioethanol is supposedly spoiling it. The videos even show the dirt flying out of the exhaust pipe. You have to engage the consumer somehow,”
– says the expert.
Serhiy Sapegin, Director of the Psyche Scientific and Technical Center, also believes that the sharp “rise in popularity” of A-98/100 gasoline in May 2025 is the result of an aggressive information campaign.
“The dissemination of information about the disappearance of A-98 from gas station stalls looks more like a marketing campaign for the premium segment than an objective assessment of consumer behavior. Moreover, the data provided as an assessment of the market, in my opinion, were based on fuel imports rather than real consumption volumes, which are closed to the public during the war,”
– emphasizes Sapegin.
And the director of the consulting group “A-95” Sergiy Kuyun reminds that we are talking about only 5 thousand tons of May’s consumption of A-98/100 gasoline, and this is against the background of the fact that gasoline consumption in Ukraine is about 170 thousand tons per month. That is, the expert notes, a small layer of people has indeed decided to refuel with this fuel. But it is expensive and not everyone can afford it.
What kind of gasoline is more profitable to use: A-95 (E5) or A-98?
Sergiy Sapegin, Director of the Psyche Scientific and Technical Center, made a comparative economic and technical assessment of the use of these two brands of gasoline for consumers.
According to the expert, independent technical studies show that the advantages of A-98/100 in most modern cars remain at the level of statistical error if the engine is not tuned for a higher octane number. That is, the driver pays, but receives neither reduced fuel consumption nor tangible performance.
At the same time, the expert reminds us that domestic A-95 with ethanol is a product using Ukrainian raw materials that supports the economy, creates jobs in the regions and reduces dependence on imports.
The price difference between A-95 (E5) and A-98 is up to 10 UAH/l, and this directly affects consumer spending. A Ukrainian who fills up on A-98 spends almost 50 hryvnias more per 100 km of road trip than one who chooses A-95 with bioethanol, or 500 hryvnias for every 1000 km.
Sergiy Sapegin also draws attention to the following factors:
- engine efficiency: A-98 (E0) can provide plus 3-5% of power in turbo engines, but for ordinary cars the difference is minimal;
- ecology: A-95 (E5) reduces CO₂ emissions by about 2-3% compared to A-98 (E0);
- economy: A-95 (E5) is cheaper by 46 UAH/100 km;
- for powerful cars: A-98 (E0) may be preferable due to its detonation stability.
| Parameter | A-95 (E5) | A-98 (E0) | Overconsumption |
| Price per liter | 51.99 UAH | 60.99 UAH | plus 9 UAH |
| Consumption per 100 km | 8.5 л | 8.0 л | plus 0.5 liters |
| Cost per 100 km | 441.92 UAH | 487.92 UAH | plus 46 UAH |
Thus, Sergiy Sapegin concludes, if a car does not require A-98 according to the specification, using A-95 (E5) will significantly reduce costs without losing ride quality.
So, having a choice is important. But you have to make the right choice based on your own capabilities and needs.
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Sergiy Vasilevich
