Gadkari: Message | Today’s news
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said the government has directed car makers to replace those parts of older cars that are damaged by E20 fuel during servicing, according to his interview with The Indian Express.
“On older cars going into service, the washers were made of metal. Now they are (made of) rubber. During the service, we instructed the vehicle manufacturers to replace these washers at no additional cost to the consumer. To my knowledge, no car has broken down. In terms of performance, ethanol has been shown to be better; it has much better anti-knock properties and is a high-octane alternative to ethanol. 2004…” said the IE minister.
However, he said the damage to the vehicles circulating on social media platforms was “exaggerated” and part of a “false narrative”.
“Show me a single car that has been damaged due to E20 fuel. What is circulating on social media is part of a concerted false narrative,” the minister told the publication.
Gadkari on mileage issue
Gadkari admitted that mileage is affected by E20 petrol and cited ethanol’s low calorific value compared to petrol as the reason.
“Look, there are a few things: the first is the difference in calorific value between ethanol and petrol – which is a fact. But mileage also depends on driving conditions, especially in cities like Delhi or Mumbai, where vehicles stay in lower gears due to driving conditions… According to the ARAI report, there is no flex-fuel efficiency problem for vehicles specifically built with flex-fuel engines.” Gadkari told the publication.
“In stop-and-go traffic from Delhi to Gurgaon, you’re constantly braking. Your speed barely crosses 40-50 (kilometers per hour) before you hit a red light. But if you’re driving at a smooth speed of 100 km (per hour), you might notice some difference in value,” he added.
Gadkari also said that nearly a dozen companies that manufacture cars in India are now working on flex models. He also pointed out that Brazil has been using fuel with 27 percent ethanol since 1970.
“The aim is to give the public a choice – more blends at different prices, given that the price of ethanol is approx. ₹75 per litre,” he told the publication.
