Govt says E20 petrol does not damage engines, credits ethanol blending for fuel price stability
The government on Thursday defended its ethanol blending programme, saying extensive testing and large-scale field experience had found no evidence that E20 petrol causes abnormal
The government on Thursday defended its ethanol blending programme, saying extensive testing and large-scale field experience had found no evidence that E20 petrol causes abnormal engine wear, corrosion or reduced vehicle life, while arguing that the programme has strengthened India's energy security and helped cushion consumers from global oil price volatility. In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme had been implemented through a phased and scientifically validated process in consultation with NITI Aayog, automobile manufacturers, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and other technical institutions. The minister said extensive laboratory studies and field trials conducted by ARAI, SIAM, Indian Oil Corp (IOC), the Indian Institute of Petroleum and automobile manufacturers had confirmed that E20 fuel was safe for use under prescribed standards. "These studies also established that legacy vehicles do not exhibit any significant variation in performance or abnormal wear and tear due to E20," he said, adding that laboratory studies, field validation and real-world operating experience had not established any widespread adverse impact on vehicle performance.
The government said E15 petrol (15 per cent ethanol doped in petrol) had been in widespread use for more than three-and-a-half years and E19-E20 (19/20 per cent ethanol in petrol) fuel for more than two-and-a-half years, with over 20 crore two-wheelers and more than three crore petrol cars operating on these blends "without any verified evidence of widespread engine failure or vehicle breakdown attributable to ethanol blending." 'No abnormal corrosion' Gopi said manufacturer service data also showed no abnormal corrosion, wear or reduction in vehicle life due to E20 fuel, while manufacturers continued to honour warranty obligations for vehicles using the fuel. The minister cited data from a leading automobile manufacturer, which serviced 2.84 crore vehicles during 2025-26, including about 1.5 crore vehicles that were not originally certified as E20-compatible, and reported no E20-linked corrosion, abnormal wear or reduction in component life. A leading two-wheeler manufacturer had reported similar field experience, while another original equipment manufacturer found no evidence of ethanol-induced corrosion after tracking 1.4 crore E20-operated vehicles over an extended period, he said.
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