Industry Experts Defend Ethanol Blending, Say E20 Fuel Safe for Vehicles

Leading automobile manufacturers and energy experts on Saturday defended India's E20 ethanol-blended petrol programme, saying years of scientific testing have found no evidence that the fuel causes engine damage or abnormal wear, including in vehicles manufactured before the E20 mandate.

The clarification follows concerns that E20 fuel may lower fuel efficiency in older vehicles. Industry representatives, however, said laboratory tests, certification processes and service records from millions of vehicles show no evidence to support such claims.

Speaking at a press conference, representatives from Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Maruti Suzuki India, Hero MotoCorp, TVS Motor, Bajaj Auto and Hyundai Motor India, along with former public sector executives, argued that the transition to E20 followed years of technical preparation, regulatory approvals and extensive testing by manufacturers and independent agencies.

Industry Says E20 Backed By Scientific Testing

Former Engineers India Limited (EIL) CMD Vartika Shukla said India's ethanol blending programme evolved gradually through scientific evaluation and consultation rather than being introduced abruptly.

"This has not been done overnight. It is a measured, scientifically driven, step-by-step process," she said.

Shukla noted that ethanol blending in petrol rose from about 1.5 per cent in 2013-14 to 20 per cent by December 2025, allowing India to meet its target five years ahead of schedule. She said the programme is supported by testing carried out by automobile manufacturers, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

She added that several countries, including the United States, Brazil, Canada, Germany and Paraguay, already use higher ethanol blends, while India's E20 fuel complies with Bharat Stage VI (BS VI) emission standards.

Automakers Reject Claims Of Engine Damage

Representatives of major automobile manufacturers said both laboratory testing and real-world vehicle data indicate that E20 fuel does not cause excessive wear or damage, even in vehicles originally designed for E10 petrol.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Country Head and Executive Vice President (Corporate Affairs and Governance) Vikram Gulati said manufacturers subject vehicles to rigorous engineering and certification processes before they reach customers.

"Vehicles that are made available to consumers are extremely well engineered, well designed and have a very immense element of oversight through technically sound testing agencies," he said.

Calling ethanol "a very good fuel", Gulati said it improves environmental outcomes while reducing dependence on imported crude oil. He also noted that ethanol has long been used as a fuel, including in Formula 1 racing cars.

Maruti Suzuki Senior Executive Officer, Corporate Affairs, Rahul Bharti said concerns largely relate to vehicles manufactured before 2023, when E20 was mandated.

"That is the central question which needs to be addressed," he said. Referring to the company's testing, he added, "We haven't found anything of concern in E20 fuel."

Bharti said Maruti had tested E10-compatible vehicles on E20 fuel across multiple parameters and found no issues related to wear, corrosion or component life due to engineering safety margins incorporated during vehicle design.

Hero MotoCorp Chief Business Officer Ashutosh Verma said the company's service records from millions of two-wheelers also show no evidence of higher failure rates linked to E20.

"We analyse crores of service data that we have, and there is no incidence whatsoever of any higher damage with vehicles that run on E20 than the vehicles that were running on fuels prior to E20," Verma said.

Former Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) Chairman B Ashok also defended the programme, saying scientific studies have found no evidence that E20 significantly affects engine life or fuel economy. He added that ethanol blending has strengthened India's energy security, reduced crude oil imports and created additional income opportunities for farmers.

Why India Adopted E20

Industry representatives said ethanol blending forms part of the government's strategy to reduce reliance on imported crude oil while lowering vehicular emissions.

According to Shukla, India's accelerated adoption of E20 has helped improve energy security, particularly during periods of geopolitical uncertainty affecting global oil markets. Speakers at the event also highlighted ethanol's lower carbon footprint because it is derived from plant-based feedstock.

India achieved its target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol by the end of 2025, five years ahead of its original deadline.

Government Rebuts Claims, Gadkari Says 'Show Me One Vehicle'

The press conference followed a detailed 10-point clarification issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, which rejected what it described as misinformation surrounding the E20 programme.

The ministry denied claims that producing one litre of ethanol consumes 10,000 litres of water, stating that ethanol production primarily uses surplus rice cleared after food security requirements are met. It said distilleries typically consume around 3-5 litres of processed water for every litre of ethanol produced and increasingly operate Zero Liquid Discharge systems to recycle water.

The ministry also rejected claims that E20 damages engines, invalidates vehicle insurance or harms the environment, maintaining that the programme is supported by scientific studies, international experience and regulatory safeguards.

Earlier this week, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari also dismissed allegations linking E20 to engine damage.

"Show me one vehicle that has been damaged because of E20 petrol," Gadkari said.

He added that scientific studies had found no evidence that E20 petrol causes engine damage.