‘You can’t measure mileage on dashboard’: Gadkari responds to concerns E20 | Today’s news
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said that the lower fuel consumption cannot be blamed on the fuel itself as several other factors affect the performance of the vehicle and the average car owner cannot accurately measure the fuel consumption of his vehicle himself and should rely on tests conducted by authorized dealers.
His response came amid growing concerns about the impact of E20 petrol on vehicle mileage.
Speaking to ABP News on Monday, Gadkari was asked about the complaints of several car owners who claim that their vehicles got lower mileage after switching to E20 petrol. Citing a personal example, the interviewer said that her car’s fuel consumption in city driving dropped from around 11 km/l to almost 7 km/l after using E20 fuel.
In response, Gadkari asked how the mileage was measured. When told it was based on the vehicle’s dashboard display, he said such readings alone were insufficient to determine actual fuel consumption.
“You can’t accurately measure mileage with a dashboard”
Gadkari said consumers cannot accurately measure a vehicle’s mileage at home or just by relying on the dashboard display. “An accurate assessment can only be made with specialized equipment available at authorized service centers,” he said, adding that it would be wrong to conclude that E20 gasoline was responsible for the lower mileage based on the dashboard readings alone.
However, the minister admitted that ethanol has a lower calorific value than conventional gasoline, which means that E20 fuel vehicles could see a slight reduction in fuel consumption.
He emphasized that the difference is generally marginal and that mileage is affected by several other factors, including driving style, traffic conditions, road quality, tire pressure, vehicle service and engine condition.
“No scientific evidence of engine damage”
Addressing concerns about engine performance, Gadkari said there is no scientific evidence yet to suggest that E20 petrol harms vehicle engines.
The minister said the government introduced E20 fuel only after extensive testing and consultation with experts.
He urged consumers not to jump to conclusions based on claims circulating on social media and said the decision was taken after a detailed technical evaluation.
