The price of biofuel is approximately 24,000 VND/liter.
Starting tomorrow (May 15th), according to an announcement from the Vietnam Oil Corporation (PVOil), E10 bioethanol fuel will be sold at nearly 1,000 of its gas stations, half a month earlier than the general schedule. Saigon Petroleum Corporation (PVOil Saigon) also announced that it will stop selling RON 95-III mineral gasoline from May 15th. Therefore, E10 RON 95-III will officially completely replace RON 95-III mineral gasoline at its gas stations.
E10 bioethanol fuel is sold at gas stations in Ho Chi Minh City, photo taken on the afternoon of May 13.
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
This result was achieved because, after a pilot program in Hanoi and Hai Phong starting in early August 2025, E10 RON 95-III bioethanol fuel has received much positive feedback from customers, as well as fully meeting technical standards and operating stably on vehicles.
The government requires ensuring supply and avoiding market disruptions.
According to Government Office Document 4299 dated May 12th, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc has assigned the Ministry of Industry and Trade to lead the coordination with other ministries and agencies in implementing the nationwide transition to E10 bioethanol, ensuring fuel supply, quality, and market stability. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is required to closely monitor the supply and demand of ethanol, mineral gasoline, and bioethanol; direct key enterprises to develop long-term ethanol procurement plans starting in May; and proactively manage the supply, import, and distribution of petroleum products to avoid shortages or disruptions. Authorities will also strengthen market inspection and supervision during the initial phase of E10 implementation, strictly penalizing any improper blending or exploitation of market fluctuations to unreasonably increase prices.
Recent market surveys show that Petrolimex's gas stations in Ho Chi Minh City have also simultaneously listed the selling price of E10 gasoline, indicating that this product is being expanded throughout the system.
Specifically, from 0:00 on May 13th, Petrolimex officially applied the selling price of E10 RON 95-V bio-gasoline across its entire network of stores, dealers, and franchise points at 24,630 VND/liter in Zone 1 and 25,120 VND/liter in Zone 2. Meanwhile, E10 RON 95-III gasoline is priced at 23,730 VND/liter and 24,200 VND/liter respectively. Compared to conventional gasoline, the price of E10 gasoline is approximately 620-630 VND/liter lower.
A representative from Petrolimex Saigon affirmed that the company has proactively prepared the necessary infrastructure and implementation plans to closely follow the government's roadmap for transitioning to biofuels. The company has completed upgrading its blending capacity at the Nha Be petroleum depot, ensuring it can meet the entire southern region's needs when transitioning from conventional gasoline to biofuels. For its 138 gas stations in Ho Chi Minh City, Petrolimex Saigon has developed detailed conversion plans for each location to ensure timely progress.
Mr. Van Tan Phung, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dong Nai Petroleum Trading Joint Stock Company, confirmed that the system of 18 retail stores and more than 30 dealers of Dong Nai Petroleum is also ready to start selling E10 gasoline from May 15th. "From May 15th to May 30th, the company will sell both E10 gasoline and conventional gasoline simultaneously. From June 1st, conventional gasoline will officially cease to be sold throughout the entire system in accordance with the Government's policy and the roadmap stipulated in Circular 50 of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. In fact, initially many retail stores were concerned about having to invest in additional infrastructure and tanks to sell the new type of gasoline. However, after the Ministry of Science and Technology stated that there is no need to flush storage tanks and that goods can be imported and sold immediately, the cost pressure on retail businesses has significantly decreased," Mr. Phung said.
When gas stations start selling biofuels all at once, my family will switch to using them. But if the price drops even further, resulting in more significant cost savings, this environmentally friendly fuel will be more readily accepted by the public.
Ms. Ngoc An, residing in Hoa Hung Ward (Ho Chi Minh City)
Similarly, to prepare for the mass distribution of E10 gasoline according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade's roadmap, PVOil has upgraded its storage and tank system, invested in additional blending lines, and converted its blending infrastructure from E5 to E10. The company has also invested in additional pipeline and import/export systems to meet demand within its system and to be ready to supply other distributors when needed. Currently, PVOil sources ethanol (E100) domestically and imports it from the US, Brazil, etc., while the base gasoline is mainly sourced from the Nghi Son and Dung Quat refineries. In addition, the company has upgraded ethanol storage capacity at its upstream depots to serve as a key import and distribution center for ethanol in the surrounding region.
A representative from PVOil confidently stated that the corporation's E10 gasoline blending system is now basically complete and is expected to reach a total capacity of 4 million m³/year by the end of this year. Proactively increasing capacity and diversifying supply sources will contribute to market stability and ensure national energy security.
Consumers want lower prices.
Businesses are ready, and consumers are also showing more interest in E10 gasoline now that it will officially be used from June 1st. Mr. Hoang Hung, residing in Tang Nhon Phu Ward (Ho Chi Minh City), previously used E5 gasoline and "didn't notice any significant difference compared to RON 95-III mineral gasoline." However, after his usual gas station on his commute stopped selling E5, he switched back to using RON 95-III gasoline. "If the gas station near my house sells E10 RON 95-III gasoline, I'll use it right away, without any hesitation. The most important thing is the convenience of refueling on my daily commutes," Mr. Hung said.
Many believe that the price of E10 bioethanol fuel should be reduced further to encourage consumer spending.
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
Similarly, Mr. Nguyen, residing in Tan Dinh Ward (Ho Chi Minh City), recently tried filling his motorbike with E10 gasoline. The ride was smooth and he didn't notice anything unusual. Although he had heard some opinions that motorbikes running on E10 gasoline aren't as powerful as those running on conventional gasoline, Mr. Nguyen observed no significant difference in his actual experience. "I don't need high speeds for city driving, so E10 gasoline is perfectly fine for me. I think I can use it with peace of mind," he shared.
Currently, the blending capacity of its members is approximately 965,000 m³/month, which is fully capable of meeting the nationwide demand for biofuels. In fact, businesses are actively investing in infrastructure, upgrading blending systems, expanding ethanol storage tanks, and preparing all necessary conditions for implementation. However, biofuels require blending time and cannot be sold immediately like conventional gasoline. If management is not efficient, especially during the transition period, localized bottlenecks in supply may arise, even if the overall system capacity is sufficient. Therefore, the Vietnam Petroleum Association proposes adjusting the standard business cost for E10 gasoline to be higher than that of conventional gasoline to avoid directly impacting the business efficiency of enterprises; considering the uniform application of a 7% tax rate on conventional gasoline, as conventional gasoline used as an input is subject to a 10% tax, while biofuel as an output is only 7%; and setting the oxygen content in gasoline at around 5-5.2%. Applying a unified rate for biofuels will facilitate the transition for businesses and consumers…
Mr. Trinh Quang Khanh , General Secretary of the Vietnam Petroleum Association
Nevertheless, in discussions with Thanh Nien newspaper , many people still have a "wait and see" attitude. Mr. Hy Nguyen, residing in Tan Hoa Ward (Ho Chi Minh City), said that when the market only sells E10 gasoline, people will have almost no other choice but to use it. Moreover, environmentally friendly biofuels are always supported by consumers. However, Mr. Hy believes that the current price is not attractive enough. "E10 gasoline should be significantly cheaper than conventional gasoline to be reasonable," he said.
Similarly, Ms. Ngoc An, residing in Hoa Hung Ward (Ho Chi Minh City), said that her family of five all use motorbikes, spending an average of about 1 million VND on gasoline each month. With the current price difference of about 620-630 VND/liter, equivalent to a reduction of about 2.5%, the savings are not significant. "When gas stations start selling bio-gasoline all at once, my family will switch to using it. But if the price is even lower, resulting in clearer cost savings, then this environmentally friendly fuel will be more readily accepted by the people," Ms. An said, suggesting that the authorities should consider pricing policies to encourage people to switch.
Mr. Le Trung Tinh, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Automobile Transport Association, assessed that biofuels not only have a lower price but also contribute to reducing environmental pollution and emissions in large cities. In many countries, E10 gasoline has been widely used for a long time, even upgraded to E15 or E20 to increase environmental protection efficiency. However, Mr. Tinh noted that communication efforts are still not strong enough, causing many consumers to remain hesitant, especially with older vehicles.
"People are most concerned about whether older vehicles will be affected and how compatible they are. Therefore, the Ministry of Industry and Trade needs a clear guide on using E10 gasoline to alleviate consumer concerns," said Mr. Le Trung Tinh, suggesting that the regulatory agency should also consider a more flexible transition roadmap, such as maintaining both mineral gasoline and bio-gasoline in the initial phase to give people time to adapt, especially those with older vehicles.
Should price support be offered in the initial phase?
As Chairman of the Dong Nai Petroleum Association, Mr. Van Tan Phung assessed the government's policy of transitioning from fossil fuels to biofuels as a major turning point. This relates to the economy and the commitments the government has made internationally in the green transition. Therefore, businesses and consumers naturally strongly support it.
For biofuels, especially E10 gasoline, to truly develop, strong and coordinated policies are needed.
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
"This is a major policy, but its implementation may lead to undesirable consequences. It's impossible to say it will be successful immediately, but my view is to adjust as we go. If anything isn't right, we must adjust it within the first three months of implementation for this significant policy to succeed," Mr. Phung suggested, adding that while Vietnam is an agricultural country, the idea that Vietnam will never lack ethanol is incorrect because domestic production of corn, beans, etc., used in ethanol production is currently insufficient to supply the animal feed industry; we have to import a lot. "With E10 gasoline, the blending technique is crucial, and once it's widely available, we must ensure there are no supply disruptions. Our biggest concern is the potential for localized supply bottlenecks, even though the overall system capacity is sufficient. Next is the price; consumers expect a better price for E10 gasoline than the current price, 1,000-1,500 VND/liter lower than conventional gasoline, not just over 600 VND/liter," Mr. Phung said.
Sharing the same view, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thuong Lang (National Economics University) emphasized that E10 gasoline must create a price advantage to be widely accepted by consumers and have good policies to help businesses implement it quickly and effectively. To lower costs, synchronized policies are needed. From the consumer's perspective, regulators should have mechanisms to regulate or support prices in the initial phase, such as reducing environmental protection taxes, special consumption tax, and value-added tax. Accordingly, the management agency could consider exempting corporate income tax for the first 5 years, then gradually reducing it over a period of about 10 years to create sufficient long-term incentives for investors. In addition, logistics costs - from transportation, warehousing to distribution - need to be reduced to lower costs. Preferential credit policies and interest rate support should also be implemented to encourage businesses to expand investment. Another factor is the mechanism for reserves and market regulation. Specifically, increasing fuel reserves will help stabilize supply against external shocks and reduce short-term operational pressure. Simultaneously, regulators need to improve the distribution system, expand the retail network, and implement appropriate trade policies to promote the consumption of biofuels…
Most vehicles can use E10 gasoline.
The Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA) stated that, from the perspective of automobile manufacturers, most models currently on the market have been designed and engineered to be compatible with E10 gasoline. Simultaneously, VAMA has implemented numerous communication and advisory activities targeting distribution systems and dealerships to provide customers with complete and accurate information. Similarly, the Vietnam Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (VAMM) also stated that motorcycles from VAMM member companies, like cars, can now be converted to use E10 gasoline.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thuong Lang emphasized: The energy restructuring process is an objective and inevitable trend. Traditional energy sources such as coal and oil have been exploited at high levels for a long time and are gradually approaching their limits. Not only do they face the risk of depletion, but dependence on fossil fuels also leads to significant environmental consequences, especially greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, issues that have become a common concern globally.
For Vietnam, this is considered a favorable time to strongly promote new forms of energy such as wind power, solar power, bioenergy, hydrogen, and ammonia. However, for biofuels, especially E10 gasoline, to truly develop, strong and synchronized policies are needed. In particular, E10 gasoline needs to have a significantly lower price than conventional gasoline to encourage consumers to switch. When the price difference is attractive, people will proactively choose it, forming new consumption habits, and this transition will be accelerated.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/xang-sinh-hoc-da-san-ready-185260513231453474.htm
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