E20 petrol may reduce mileage in older vehicles by 3-5%, no evidence of engine damage, says Govt

The Centre informed the Rajya Sabha that E20 petrol may cause a marginal 3–5 percent drop in fuel efficiency for older E10-designed vehicles, but confirmed there is no evidence of widespread engine damage or breakdowns linked to ethanol blending

New Delhi: The Central government on Wednesday said that E20 petrol may lead to a marginal reduction in fuel efficiency in some older vehicles originally designed for E10 fuel, but that there is no verified evidence of widespread engine damage or vehicle breakdowns linked to ethanol-blended petrol.

In a written reply to questions in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said that any reduction in mileage in older E10-designed vehicles is generally limited to around 3-5 per cent.

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He added that fuel efficiency depends on several factors, including driving habits, vehicle maintenance, tyre pressure, wheel alignment and air-conditioning load, and not solely on the ethanol content in the fuel.

“Any reduction in fuel economy in certain older E10-designed vehicles is generally marginal (around 3-5 per cent),” the minister stated.

“While some older vehicles may experience a slight drop in mileage, E20 petrol offers several advantages, including higher octane rating, improved anti-knock performance, better combustion characteristics and smoother acceleration,” the minister stated.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had challenged critics of India’s E20 petrol programme to identify a single vehicle that has suffered problems due to the use of 20 per cent ethanol-blended fuel, while dismissing claims of reduced fuel efficiency and other concerns as part of “paid campaigns.”

Speaking at the ‘Viksit Bharat Conclave’ in New Delhi on July 7, Gadkari said there was no evidence to support allegations that E20 petrol damages vehicles.

“There is no case of any car facing issues due to E20 petrol. Has there been any car in the country that faced issues due to the use of E20 petrol? Just name one,” he said.

“…false narratives are being spread about the roll-out of higher ethanol-blended petrol. These are paid campaigns,” the minister mentioned.