His remarks come just days after the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued a clarification addressing growing public concern over E20’s impact on vehicle performance. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the ministry said fears surrounding E20 were “largely unfounded and not supported by scientific evidence or expert analysis.”The ministry cited long-term testing of both carbureted and fuel-injected vehicles, each driven for 100,000 km on E20 fuel, with performance evaluated every 10,000 km. It said the tests revealed “no statistically significant differences” in power, torque or mileage compared to regular petrol. Additional assessments by ARAI, the Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), and Indian Oil Corporation’s R&D team found that even older “legacy vehicles” did not exhibit abnormal wear and tear. E20 also passed cold and hot engine start tests without incident.While newer vehicles calibrated for E20 may show a 1–2% mileage dip and older models a 3–6% decline, the ministry said this is a minor impact that can be managed through engine tuning and ethanol-compatible components, now required for all vehicles manufactured after April 2023.However, TNIE has learned that some automotive experts and consumers report higher real-world mileage losses than those acknowledged by the government. A senior technical officer from a leading car manufacturer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that internal assessments suggest a 5–7% drop in mileage for vehicles manufactured before 2023. “Consumer feedback suggests the impact to be in double digits in real-world driving conditions,” he added.A nationwide survey conducted by LocalCircles, which received over 36,000 responses from petrol vehicle owners, also reflected widespread concerns. Of the 22,282 relevant responses analysed, 11% reported that their mileage had reduced by over 20%, 22% observed a 15–20% drop, and another 11% cited a 10–15% reduction. According to LocalCircles, “two in three vehicle owners, with vehicles purchased in 2022 or earlier, say their vehicle’s fuel efficiency or mileage has reduced in 2025,” indicating a growing financial impact on consumers.The technical officer also suggested that given ethanol is locally sourced and significantly cheaper than crude oil, consumers should be offered a discount on blended petrol to offset the increased running costs. Ethanol’s administered ex-mill price is fixed at Rs 57.97 per litre, which rises to Rs 61 after a 5% GST, while petrol retails around Rs 95 per litre in Delhi.
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