As India pushes ahead with its ethanol-blended petrol programme—a key measure to cut emissions and reliance on energy imports—car owners, especially those who purchased their vehicles over a couple of years ago, feel they have been left in the lurch. In the recent past, a number of consumers have raised concerns about possible risks that the ethanol-blended petrol could pose to the engine, with apprehensions that in older cars, using blended fuel could negatively impact fuel economy, shorten the engine’s lifespan, and even result in hefty repair bills. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), however, has termed most such concerns as “largely unfounded” and not backed by “scientific evidence or expert analysis”.
“…the narrative that #EthanolBlending in Petrol is harming vehicles or causing undue hardship to consumers is not based on real facts and lacks technical foundation. Ethanol blending is a forward-looking, scientifically supported, and environmentally responsible measure that brings multi-dimensional benefits to the nation,” the MoPNG said in a detailed social media post on Monday. For India, which is the world’s third-largest consumer of crude oil and depends on imports to meet over 85 per cent of its requirement of the commodity, increasing the use of biofuels is a key tool towards two ends—reducing dependency on energy imports and limiting the carbon footprint of the country’s rapidly growing energy use.
While newer cars, particularly those sold since 2023, are understood to be ready for E20 fuel, engines of cars made before that have not been specifically tuned for such blended fuel, and could be at a disadvantage in the long-term. An auto industry executive said that corrosion in the engine is of particular concern, which could be even more pronounced in the case of two wheelers. The executive explained that the calorific value of ethanol blended fuel is higher than gasoline, which means that more fuel is burnt for similar performance, which brings down the fuel economy of the vehicle.
These concerns have given way to several consumers questioning its impact on the longevity of their vehicles, while also flagging the opacity at petrol pumps regarding the type of fuel they were getting, where no clear communication exists about the blend levels. They are also questioning why such blended fuel is not being made available at a discounted rate than unblended petrol.
The MoPNG acknowledged the drop in fuel economy due to the use of E20 fuel—blend of 80 parts petrol and 20 parts ethanol—but said that the decrease was only “marginal”. India achieved 20 per cent ethanol blending just last month, five years ahead of the original target. The 20 per cent blending aim had earlier been advanced from 2030 to 2025-26, given the success the country tasted in achieving 10 per cent blending levels ahead of schedule.
“Ethanol, being lower in energy density than petrol, results in a marginal decrease in mileage, estimated at 1–2% for four-wheelers designed for #E10 and calibrated for #E20, and around 3–6% in others. This marginal drop in efficiency can be further minimized through improved engine tuning and use of E20-compatible materials, which leading automobile manufacturers have already adopted. In fact, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has confirmed that E20-compliant vehicles with upgraded components began rolling out from April 2023. Thus, the allegation that E20 leads to drastic drop in fuel efficiency is factually incorrect,” the MoPNG said in its post on social media platform X.
On the effect of engine corrosion, the ministry said that safety standards for E20, including corrosion inhibitors and compatible fuel system materials, are well established through the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications and Automotive Industry Standards. “Replacement of some rubber parts/ gaskets could be advised in certain older vehicles after prolonged use of say 20,000 to 30,000 kms. This replacement is inexpensive and easily done during regular servicing of the vehicle,” it said.
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The ministry also said that international studies on the effect of using ethanol-petrol blends on mechanical, energy, and environmental performance every 10,000 km during their first 100,000 km showed “no significant differences” in power and torque, and fuel consumption levels.
“Material compatibility and drivability tests by Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) and Indian Oil Corporation (R&D) have confirmed that legacy vehicles also showed no significant variations, performance issues or abnormal wear-and-tear when operated with E20. Moreover, E20 fuel passed hot and cold startability tests without any engine damage,” the MoPNG said.
India’s ethanol blending programme began over two decades ago in 2003, with an initial target of 5 per cent blending for nine states. Over the subsequent years, its scope was expanded to cover most of the country. However, ethanol procurement was a big headache for public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs), and only 1.5 per cent blending could be achieved till 2014.
Over the next few years, the government took various measures—including notifying higher prices for ethanol procurement by the OMCs and pushing for feedstock diversification—which bore fruit and boosted the availability of the biofuel. As a result, India achieved its target of 10 per cent ethanol blending in petrol in June 2022, months ahead of the targeted timeline of November 2022. The success in the ethanol blending programme prompted the government to advance the deadline for pan-India E20 rollout to 2025-26 from 2030. The roadmap to further enhance ethanol blending in petrol is in the works, with initial indications that a blending level of around 27 per cent could be the next target.
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E20 blending significantly strengthens India’s energy security by reducing dependence on crude oil imports, the ministry said. “In fact, since 2014-15 India has already saved more than Rs. 1.4 lakh crore in foreign exchange through petrol substitution. Ethanol blending supports the rural economy, with expeditious payment of over Rs. 1.2 lakh crore to farmers, thereby creating income and employment opportunities in the agricultural and biofuel sectors. E20 blending has helped India reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 700 lakh tonnes, contributing to climate change goals,” it added.
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