Govt says no plan now to raise ethanol mix in petrol from 20%

The Indian government has no plans to raise the ethanol content in petrol beyond the current 20%. Amid fears of further increases in the ethanol mix in petrol and criticism that the blend reduces fuel efficiency and vehicle performance, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said that the government has no plan now to raise the ethanol mix in petrol from 20%.

The 20% ethanol-blended petrol, commonly known as E20, became the standard fuel sold across India's 90,000 petrol pumps at the end of last year, causing uproar among motorists in the world's third-largest car market. Many motorists complained that they are experiencing a drop in fuel efficiency and vehicle performance. Some have complained damages in critical parts due to the E20. Since the government hinted there are plans to increase the ethanol mix in petrol, there's been sharp criticism from motorists.

Addressing the concern, Gopi said in a written response to the Rajya Sabha that any decision to increase the ethanol mix in petrol will be taken only after detailed scientific and technical studies and consultations with stakeholders, including automakers, fuel retailers, and feedstock suppliers.

No rollback of E20

While assuring that the government is not increasing the ethanol mix in petrol immediately, Gopi also said that there is no plan to revert to E10 or pure petrol from the current standard fuel E20. He also said that the government wants to move forward with a superior fuel.

The minister said that the government has received no complaints of declining vehicle performance, engine failure, corrosion, and fuel pump issues that are linked to E20 use. He also added that vehicles designed for E10 experience only a marginal 3-5% drop in fuel efficiency when using E20. "Had ethanol blending been causing systemic damage to engines or fuel systems, such failures would have resulted in large-scale warranty claims, service campaigns, and widespread consumer complaints, none of which have been reported," he said.

Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Gopi said, "More than 20 crore two-wheelers and over 3 crore petrol cars, including a large number of older vehicles manufactured before E20 certification, have been operating on these fuels without any verified evidence of widespread engine failure or vehicle breakdown attributable to ethanol blending."

The minister said that the transition to E20 has been phased, calibrated and evidence-based, with ethanol blending increasing progressively from 1.53% in 2013-14 to 20% in 2025-26 after scientific evaluation and stakeholder consultations at every stage.

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