‘No Engine Damage, Marginal Mileage Changes’: Govt Issues 10-Point Clarification On E20 Ethanol Blending

Published 3 July 2026 · india

‘No Engine Damage, Marginal Mileage Changes’: Govt Issues 10-Point Clarification On E20 Ethanol Blending Published By, Last Updated: July 03, 2026, 22:57 IST The ministry

‘No Engine Damage, Marginal Mileage Changes’: Govt Issues 10-Point Clarification On E20 Ethanol Blending Published By, Last Updated: July 03, 2026, 22:57 IST The ministry said the E20 programme, under which petrol contains up to 20% ethanol, is backed by scientific studies, regulatory safeguards and international experience. India set a target of 20 per cent blending (E20) by 2030 and later advanced it to 2025-26. (PTI) The government on Friday pushed back against what it called misinformation surrounding India’s E20 ethanol blending programme, issuing a detailed 10-point clarification to counter viral claims on social media about engine damage, water consumption, vehicle warranties, fuel efficiency and environmental impact. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said the E20 programme, under which petrol contains up to 20% ethanol, is backed by scientific studies, regulatory safeguards and international experience. Here’s what the ministry stated in its 10-point clarifications on ethanol blending. Water Use The government rejected claims that producing one litre of ethanol requires 10,000 litres of water, saying only surplus rice, available after meeting national food security requirements, is diverted for ethanol production. Ethanol distilleries use about 3-5 litres of processed water per litre of ethanol and are increasingly adopting Zero Liquid Discharge systems to recycle water. Also Read: ‘Ethanol Is Used In Racing Cars’: Oil Minister Defends Govt’s Biofuel Blending Programme It also noted that maize, which contributes over 40% of ethanol supplied under the programme, requires significantly less irrigation than paddy and is being through higher minimum support prices.

E20 Is Not An Experimental Fuel The ministry said ethanol-blended petrol has been in use across several countries, including the United States, Brazil, Canada, Thailand, Japan and European nations, for decades. Fuel Efficiency And Vehicle Performance Citing Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI)-led trials, the government said testing over about 40,000 km in passenger cars and 20,000 km in two-wheelers found no significant impact on drivability or fuel efficiency, with only “marginal" changes in mileage. Vehicles designed for E20 can also benefit from ethanol’s higher octane rating, it added. Engine Damage Rejecting claims that E20 harms engines or corrodes vehicle components, the ministry referred to studies by ARAI, Indian Oil Corporation, the Indian Institute of Petroleum and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. These found no compatibility issues with metal or plastic parts, though some rubber components in older vehicles may need earlier replacement. Warranty And Insurance The government said using E20 fuel does not invalidate warranties or insurance for vehicles that are designed or approved to run on the blend, citing clarifications from automobile manufacturers and insurers. Ants And Bees Responding to viral posts claiming insects are attracted to E20 because it contains sugar, the ministry said fuel-grade ethanol is distilled to remove residual sugars and contains denaturants that repel insects. It added that the smell of petrol dominates the blended fuel.