Overview
- Senior government officials have concluded the shift beyond the current E20 petrol standard should be gradual and are unlikely to rush a mandatory E25 rollout.
- Two formal policy steps—the Centre’s excise exemption for blended fuels with 22–30% ethanol and new Bureau of Indian Standards fuel specs—are seen as preparatory but do not set a timetable for E25.
- Many motorists have reported lower fuel economy on E20, especially in older vehicles, and the Odisha Petroleum Dealers Association has asked the government to reconsider the mandatory E20 requirement or revert temporarily to E10.
- Automakers say moving to E25 will require more engineering, with tests for corrosion resistance, fuel-system durability, material compatibility and formal regulatory certification before vehicles can be cleared.
- The government and major vehicle makers have defended the E20 rollout as tested and safe, and officials say further scientific study and stakeholder consultations will determine if and when blending levels rise.