Govt says 20% ethanol blended petrol doesn't have any negative impact on older vehicles

The government Monday said 20% ethanol blended petrol does not have any negative impact on older vehicles.

Refuting media reports on the potential negative impact of e20 blended petrol on legacy vehicles, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas in a post on micro-blogging site ‘X’ said, “These concerns, however, are largely unfounded and not supported by scientific evidence or expert analysis.” The government had mandated all vehicles manufactured in India to be E20 material compliant April 2023 onwards, and to be fully E20 compliant from April 2025.

In it’s post, the ministry elaborated international studies on the effect of using ethanol-petrol blends on mechanical, energy and environmental performance of vehicles through testing of both carbureted and fuel-injected vehicles every 10,000 km during their first 100,000 km showed statistically no significant differences in power and torque generated and fuel consumption.


Material compatibility and drivability tests by Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) and Indian Oil Corporation (R&D) have confirmed that legacy vehicles also showed no significant variations, performance issues or abnormal wear-and-tear when operated with E20. “Moreover, E20 fuel passed hot and cold startability tests without any engine damage”, the ministry added in the statement.

The ministry admitted ethanol, being lower in energy density than petrol, results in a marginal decrease in mileage - 1–2% for four-wheelers designed for #E10 and calibrated for #E20, and around 3–6% in others. However, it said, “This marginal drop in efficiency can be further minimized through improved engine tuning and use of E20-compatible materials, which leading automobile manufacturers have already adopted.” In fact, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has confirmed that E20-compliant vehicles with upgraded components began rolling out from April 2023. Thus, the allegation that E20 leads to drastic drop in fuel efficiency is factually incorrect, the ministry said.

As regards claims of material corrosion, the Petroleum Ministry said standards for E20, including corrosion inhibitors and compatible fuel system materials, are well established through BIS specifications and Automotive Industry Standards. Replacement of some rubber parts/ gaskets could be advised in certain older vehicles after prolonged use of say 20,000 to 30,000 kms. This replacement is inexpensive and easily done during regular servicing of the vehicle, the ministry said.

Blending ethanol in petrol, a fossil fuel aslo helps in reducing CO2 emissions, the ministry said. “Ethanol is increasingly being produced from not only sugarcane but also from surplus rice, maize, damaged foodgrains, and agricultural residues, especially under the push for second-generation (2G) biofuels. This makes ethanol blending not only technically viable, but environmentally sustainable as well”, the ministry said. It cited a study on life cycle emissions of ethanol done by Niti Aayog which found that GHG emissions in case of sugarcane and maize based ethanol use is less by 65% and 50%, respectively, than that of petrol.

Additionally, the Petroleum Ministry said entail helps improve ride quality and vehicle performance: Ethanol has a higher octane number than Petrol (~108.5 vs. 84.4) which implies that ethanol-petrol blends have a higher octane number than traditional petrol. Therefore, the use of ethanol becomes a partial alternative for providing high-octane fuels (~95), required for modern high compression ratio engines providing a better ride quality, the ministry explained.

E20 blending, the ministry said, also “significantly strengthens India’s energy security by reducing dependence on crude oil imports”. Since, 2014-15 India has already saved more than Rs. 1.40 lakh crore in foreign exchange through petrol substitution. Ethanol blending supports the rural economy, with expeditious payment of over Rs. 1.20 lakh crore to farmers, thereby creating income and employment opportunities in the agricultural and biofuel sectors. #E20 blending has helped India reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 700 lakh tonnes, contributing to climate change goals.

Finally, the ministry added, claims that this transition to E20 is abrupt or poorly communicated does not align with the detailed rollout plans outlined in the Government of India’s Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020–25, available on the websites of #MoPNG and @NitiAayog since 2021. The implementation of E20 in India has followed a phased and widely consulted approach, involving coordination between ministries, vehicle manufacturers, fuel retailers, standards agencies etc. “Thus, the narrative that #EthanolBlending in Petrol is harming vehicles or causing undue hardship to consumers is not based on real facts and lacks technical foundation”, it held.