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Government and Industry Defend India’s E20 Blend as Motorists Raise Concerns

Industry bodies, backed by the petroleum ministry, affirm E20’s safety despite reports of reduced mileage and engine issues in older vehicles.

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Overview

  • India has completed its nationwide rollout of E20 petrol, with ISMA and ARAI certification and no engine failures reported over 10 months of use, according to Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
  • Official data acknowledges a marginal mileage drop of 1–2% in newer cars and up to 6% in older models that can be managed with routine maintenance, while independent tests by reviewer Amit Khare found a 5–6% loss.
  • Hero MotoCorp and TVS Motor have issued advisories that vehicles built before 2023 may require fuel system modifications to run efficiently on E20 petrol.
  • An RTI response confirms that premium XP95 and regular petrol grades now uniformly contain 20% ethanol in Kolkata, yet retail pump prices have not fallen to reflect ethanol’s lower production cost.
  • Officials cite Brazil’s higher-blend experience and are preparing phased trials for E27 and flex-fuel vehicles to deepen energy security gains and boost rural incomes.