Overview
- Senior ministers and government officials on Tuesday rejected media reports of an imminent E25 rollout and said laboratory and vehicle tests are still under way before any policy decision is taken.
- Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and other industry representatives said there is no evidence of widespread engine failure from the nationwide E20 programme and that automakers have expressed comfort with E20 in compatible models.
- Consumer complaints and fuel‑retailer appeals have grown this week, with motorists reporting reduced mileage and some dealers urging a review of the E20 mandate or a temporary return to lower blends.
- Technical studies by agencies including ARAI and SIAM report no uniform metallic part damage from E20 but note modest increases in fuel consumption and potential gradual wear of rubber fuel‑system components in vehicles built for lower ethanol mixes.
- Policy moves such as an excise exemption for 22–30% ethanol blends and new BIS specifications have fuelled speculation about higher blends, but officials say those steps do not equal a rollout plan and stress any increase would be evidence‑driven and phased to allow automakers and the market to adapt.