E20 petrol can reduce mileage by up to 5% in older vehicles but does not cause extensive engine damage: Govt | Today’s news
The central government admitted that E20 petrol can reduce mileage by around three to five percent in some older vehicles that were designed for E10 fuel, but said extensive testing and real-world experience had not found any extensive damage to the engines. There was also no vehicle failure that could be related to the addition of ethanol to the fuel, the government said in parliament on Wednesday.
In written replies to questions raised in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said fuel efficiency depends on a number of factors, including driving habits, vehicle maintenance, tire pressure, air conditioning load and wheel geometry.
“Any reduction in fuel economy for some older E10 vehicles is generally marginal (around 3-5%),” the written response revealed. It also said that E20 fuel provides a higher octane rating, better anti-knock properties, better combustion properties, as well as smoother acceleration.
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According to the government, E15 gasoline is used for more than 3.5 years, while E19 and E20 fuel are used for more than 2.5 years. It also said that more than 20 million two-wheelers and 3 million gasoline cars, including older vehicles manufactured before E20 certification, run on these blends, with no verified evidence of widespread engine failures associated with ethanol fuel.
The government also said that the manufacturer’s service data revealed that the leading ATV manufacturer serviced 2.84 billion vehicles during the 2025-2026 fiscal year, which included 1.5 billion older non-E20 certified vehicles, without reporting any vehicle damage attributable to E20 fuel. He also said that the two-wheeler manufacturer also did not report a higher incidence of damage in vehicles that use E20 fuel compared to earlier blends.
The government also said vehicle manufacturers are still honoring warranty obligations for vehicles using E20 fuel that complies with specifications.
He also said that extensive laboratory studies as well as field tests were conducted, but no significant differences were found with the older vehicles in terms of parameters such as handling, startability, metal compatibility and plastic compatibility.
There is no proposal to return to E0 or E10 petrol, the government said, saying that maintaining parallel nationwide supply chains for E0, E10 and E20 at more than one million retail outlets would increase the complexity of logistics, inventory and handling costs.
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ARAI testing supports introduction of E20 fuel: Govt
The government also said that the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) program was implemented in a phased, calibrated, scientifically validated and consultative approach’ involving NITI Aayog, Oil Marketing Companies, automobile manufacturers, ARAI, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) and other technical institutions.
Gopi said extensive laboratory studies, durability tests and field validation were conducted before the E20 was introduced to the public. These tests covered engine life, material compatibility, corrosion resistance, handling, emissions, fuel consumption and overall vehicle performance. He also said that vehicles meeting the E20 standard will only gain approval after going through a prescribed homologation process and receiving certification for sale after extensive testing.
Responding to the concerns, the government said studies conducted by ARAI, SIAM, IIP, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) and car manufacturers found that E20 does not cause abnormal wear or cracks in cars, nor does it cause compatibility issues when used as per prescribed standards. The response added that tests conducted by SIAM and ARAI found improvements in acceleration and ride quality in addition to reducing carbon emissions.
