Petroleum lobby spreading misinformation: Gadkari on Ethanol blending rumours

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, has strongly refuted allegations that blending 20% ethanol with petrol is harmful to engines. He attributed such claims to a “petroleum lobby" attempting to spread misinformation, emphasizing that these assertions are “completely baseless." In an interview with Moneycontrol, Gadkari further clarified that concerns regarding vehicle incompatibility with E20 fuel are unfounded, as all necessary verifications have already been conducted by the authorities.

“This is completely false. We have done trials on old cars. In Brazil… they do 27 percent blending but there have been no complaints. There are some people in the petroleum lobby who are spreading this...we have verified everything on technical ground," he was quoted as saying by the news publication.

Fuel Of The Future?

Nitin Gadkari has previously described 100% bio-ethanol as the “fuel of the future". His remarks come at a time when the government’s E20 initiative mandating 20% ethanol blending in all petrol by 2025–26 is facing increasing public criticism and concern. Sections of the media and consumers have raised concerns regarding the fuel’s efficiency, citing risks of engine corrosion and reduced mileage.

Experts have further cautioned that a 20% ethanol blend may affect overall vehicle performance. Service centres, meanwhile, report that non-E20-compliant vehicles which continue to constitute a significant share of cars on Indian roads are experiencing higher instances of engine wear and gasket failures.

What Petroleum Ministry Said On Ethanol Blending:

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas dismissed social media reports alleging that E20 petrol a blend of 20% ethanol with petrol leads to a sharp decline in fuel efficiency. In an official statement, the ministry described these claims as misleading, noting that they lack scientific evidence or expert validation. It further explained that although ethanol carries a lower energy density compared to petrol, its effect on overall fuel efficiency remains minimal.