Cites industry-backed validation
New Delhi, July 30: The Centre on Thursday said there is no verified evidence of widespread engine failure, abnormal wear or reduction in vehicle life due to the use of E20 (20 per cent ethanol-blended) petrol, asserting that its nationwide rollout was backed by extensive scientific validation and consultation with the automobile industry.
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme was implemented through a phased process involving NITI Aayog, automobile manufacturers, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) and other technical institutions.
The Minister said extensive laboratory studies and field trials covering engine durability, drivability, corrosion resistance, material compatibility, emissions and fuel efficiency confirmed that E20 fuel is safe for use under prescribed standards.
He said the studies also found that legacy vehicles did not exhibit any significant variation in performance or abnormal wear and tear due to E20, while real-world operating experience had not established any widespread adverse impact on vehicle performance.
Citing nationwide implementation, Gopi said around eight crore vehicles visit fuel retail outlets every day, of which nearly 80 per cent are petrol vehicles. He added that E15+ petrol has been in widespread use for over three-and-a-half years and E19-E20 fuel for more than two-and-a-half years.
According to the government, more than 20 crore two-wheelers and over three crore petrol cars have been operating on higher ethanol blends without any verified evidence of engine failure or vehicle breakdown attributable to ethanol blending. Manufacturer service data also show no abnormal corrosion, wear or reduction in vehicle life due to E20 fuel, while companies continue to honour warranty obligations for vehicles using the fuel.
The Minister said one leading automobile manufacturer serviced 2.84 crore vehicles during 2025-26, including about 1.5 crore vehicles that were not originally certified as E20-compatible, without reporting any E20-linked corrosion or abnormal component wear. Another major manufacturer tracked 1.4 crore vehicles using E20 and similarly found no evidence of ethanol-induced corrosion.
Gopi said automobile manufacturers, component suppliers, SIAM, ARAI, testing agencies and OMCs were involved at every stage of evaluating and rolling out E20 fuel. He added that the fuel was introduced only after successful validation of engine durability, fuel systems, material compatibility and emissions performance.
According to SIAM and ARAI, E20 also improves acceleration and ride quality while reducing carbon emissions, with ethanol’s higher octane rating supporting modern high-compression engines and improving combustion efficiency.
