E20 vs XP100: Which Fuel Gives Better Mileage? Viral post on social media sparks debate | Today’s news
E20 vs XP100: Amid the growing debate about the impact of E20 gasoline on vehicles, many motorists are exploring alternatives, with some turning to Indian Oil’s premium ethanol-free XP100 gasoline. E20, by comparison, is a mixture of 20% ethanol and 80% gasoline.
A video doing the rounds on social media claims to show a significant difference in fuel efficiency between the two fuels after the same vehicle was refueled in Delhi.
A post titled “E20 vs XP100 – The mileage difference is REAL” shows the vehicle returning 10.7km/l on E20 petrol as indicated by the instrument cluster. After switching to XP100 from Indian Oil, it shows a mileage of 17.1 km/l.
“Yes, it’s worth it ₹167 per liter in Delhi… but you also go 60% further,” claimed a user in a post on X.
How did social networks react?
One user wrote: “That’s a huge difference in efficiency. Better mileage and less engine wear wins every time.” Another user commented: “Efficiency wins for sure. But XP100 is still hard to find outside the metro. E20 is everywhere… that’s why most people are stuck with it.”
A third comment read: “In comparison, E20 is more expensive in addition to damaging the vehicle.” A fourth user said: “This xp100 is very rare these days. Mostly out of stock.” A fifth user replied: “Forget every gas station…you won’t find XP100 gas at 90% of gas stations.”
The study shows an increase in complaints from older owners of petrol vehicles
A recent survey by LocalCircles reported a surge in complaints from owners of older petrol vehicles about declining fuel economy and rising maintenance costs following the nationwide introduction of E20 petrol.
The survey analyzed responses from more than 44,000 petrol vehicle owners in 305 districts, focusing on vehicles purchased in 2022 or earlier.
According to the findings, 66% of respondents reported a drop in fuel efficiency of more than 10%, up from 45% in May. Meanwhile, 55% said they experienced unusual wear and tear or higher repair requests, almost double the 29% reported a month earlier.
The survey comes as the Center informed the Supreme Court that the ethanol blending program remains an ongoing “experiment”, with its full impact not expected to become clear until 2027.
However, the government has rejected claims that E20 petrol causes a 30% drop in mileage. According to the authorities, the reduction in fuel efficiency is usually limited to 2 to 6%, which they say is offset by benefits such as better acceleration and lower emissions.
