Manufacturers to replace washers of older cars ‘at no extra cost’ if damaged by E20 fuel, says Gadkari: Report
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that the government has instructed car manufacturers to replace those parts of older cars that
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that the government has instructed car manufacturers to replace those parts of older cars that are damaged by E20 fuel during servicing, as per his interview with The Indian Express. “For older cars going for servicing, the washers used to be made of metal. Now they are (made of) rubber. During servicing, we have instructed vehicle manufacturers to replace those washers at no extra cost for the consumer. In my knowledge, no cars have broken down. When it comes to performance, ethanol is proven to be better; it has much better anti-knocking properties and a high octane number.
I have been advocating for ethanol as an alternative since 2004…” the minister told IE. Also Read | Gadkari admits E20 fuel affects car mileage, dismisses engine damage concerns However, he has said that the vehicle damages that have been circulating on social media platforms are 'overblown' and part of a 'false narrative'. “Show me a single car that has suffered damage because of E20 fuel. What is being circulated on social media is part of a concerted false narrative,” the minister told the publication. Gadkari on mileage issue Gadkari did admit that mileage is affected with E20 petrol, and cited the low calorific value of ethanol in comparison with petrol as the reason behind the same.
“Look, there are a couple of things: the first is the difference in calorific value between ethanol and petrol – which is a fact. But mileage also depends on driving conditions, especially in cities such as Delhi or Mumbai, where vehicles stay in lower gears due to driving conditions… According to the ARAI report, for vehicles specifically built with fle fuel engines, there is no problem with mileage efficiency. That is why we are also working on (pushing) fle engine technology,” Gadkari told the publication. “In stop-and-go traffic from Delhi to Gurgaon, you are constantly braking. Your speed barely goes above 40-50 (kilometres per hour) before you hit a red light.
However, if you drive at a continuous speed for 100 km (per hour), you may see some difference in value,” he added. Also Read | India plans up to 15% isobutanol blending in diesel amid biofuel push Gadkari also said that almost a dozen companies that manufacture cars in India are now working on flex models. He also pointed out that Brazil has been using fuel with 27 per cent ethanol since 1970.
The BriefWire