new delhi, Jul 27
India’s ethanol controversy continues to widen as the central government on Monday said it has not assessed the proportion of vehicles in the country that are fully compatible with E20 petrol. In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said, “Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) have informed that no such assessment has been done by them” of the percentage of vehicles currently compatible with E20 fuel (petrol doped with 20 per cent ethanol).
According to industry body SIAM, most petrol-powered two-wheelers and cars sold before 2023 were designed for lower ethanol blends such as E5 and E10, leaving only a minority of vehicles on Indian roads fully compatible with E20 fuel. A report by a Thompson Reuters-backed outlet said only two in 10 petrol vehicles sold in India since 2011 are E20 fuel compliant.
The minister stated the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme had been implemented through a phased and scientifically validated process involving NITI Aayog, automobile manufacturers, oil marketing companies, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) and other technical institutions.
He said laboratory studies and field trials covering engine durability, drivability, startability, corrosion resistance, material compatibility, emissions and fuel efficiency had confirmed that E20 was safe for use.
“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.
The Telegraph Online earlier reported that SIAM had previously raised objections to NITI Aayog’s draft ethanol policy issued in June 2021, saying that smaller engines—especially those used in two-wheelers and older low-cost cars—could face greater design and performance constraints with E20 fuel than larger passenger vehicles.
The industry body had also urged the government to continue making E10 petrol available even after the rollout of E20, a demand now being raised by consumers and Opposition parties protesting the ethanol push.
The rollout of E20 petrol (80 per cent petrol and 20 per cent ethanol) has drawn criticism from some Opposition parties and consumer groups, which have questioned its compatibility with older vehicles, warned of lower fuel efficiency and higher maintenance costs, and sought clarity on liability if engine or fuel-system problems arise.
The government has maintained that the transition has been phased and backed by extensive testing, while automobile manufacturers continue to honour warranty claims for vehicles using E20 fuel.
Gopi said E15 blended petrol has been in widespread use for more than three-and-a-half years and E19-E20 fuel for over two-and-a-half years, with more than 20 crore two-wheelers and over 3 crore petrol cars running on these blends. He said there was no “verified evidence of widespread engine failure or vehicle breakdown attributable to ethanol blending”.
On fuel economy, the government said mileage depends on factors such as driving conditions, driving habits and vehicle maintenance. It acknowledged that vehicles originally designed for E10 petrol could see a 3-5 per cent drop in fuel efficiency with E20, but said the blend offered higher octane, improved anti-knock characteristics, cleaner combustion and smoother engine performance, claims which have been backed by moto experts.
Gopi also claimed E20 provides better acceleration and ride quality while cutting carbon emissions by about 30 per cent compared with E10.
Citing industry data, he said one automobile manufacturer serviced 2.84 crore vehicles in 2025-26, including around 1.5 crore not originally certified as E20-compatible, without reporting ethanol-related corrosion or abnormal wear. Another tracked 1.4 crore vehicles using E20 over an extended period and similarly found no evidence of ethanol-induced corrosion.
The minister clarified India’s ethanol production capacity had been planned not only to meet current E20 blending requirements but also future growth in petrol demand, higher ethanol blends, flex-fuel vehicles and other biofuel applications.
He said the government follows a diversified feedstock strategy under the National Policy on Biofuels, with ethanol produced from sugarcane, maize, damaged and surplus foodgrains, broken rice and other approved agricultural feedstocks. The diversion of foodgrains is calibrated in consultation with the Department of Food & Public Distribution and other ministries.
Food security, Public Distribution System requirements, National Food Security Act obligations, welfare schemes and buffer stock norms remain the priority, Gopi said, adding that only surplus foodgrains are permitted for ethanol production.
