New Delhi: Centre on Saturday said E20 fuel is safe for use after extensive scientific testing. Automobile manufacturers also reassured consumers that they found no significant issues in older vehicles using the ethanol-blended petrol.
The Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Heavy Industries, and Road Transport and Highways organised a joint press conference in New Delhi. Senior representatives from leading automobile companies participated and explained the findings of extensive testing on E20 fuel.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor Country Head Vikram Gulati said the industry adopted E20 only after rigorous testing and certification. He added that accredited agencies carried out the tests using globally accepted standards. Furthermore, he clarified that E85 fuel stations are meant only for flex-fuel vehicles.
Maruti Suzuki Senior Executive Officer Rahul Bharti said the company serviced 2.84 crore vehicles during 2025-26. More than 1.5 crore of those vehicles were over three years old and not E20-certified. However, the company did not receive reports of corrosion, unusual wear or component damage linked to E20 fuel.
E20 fuel programme gains industry support
Bharti said E20 has a slightly lower calorific value than E10, reducing mileage by around 3 to 3.5%. However, he explained that tyre pressure, driving habits and vehicle maintenance have a much greater impact on fuel efficiency. Moreover, he said ethanol provides better acceleration, improved anti-knocking performance and lower emissions.
Former Engineers India Limited Chairman Vartika Shukla said the ethanol blending programme followed scientific evidence and global best practices. She added that E20 complies with BIS standards and BS-VI emission norms and is now available across the country.
Hero MotoCorp Chief Business Officer Ashutosh Varma said the company analysed extensive service data and found no higher incidence of damage in vehicles using E20. Finally, industry representatives reaffirmed their confidence in the programme and pledged to address consumer concerns with transparency.
