There is a lot of noise around the whole E20 petrol and ethanol blending issue in India. With most cars on our roads being older than April 2023, E20 has become a major pain point for commuters across the country. Around the whole fiasco, however, there is a slew of information going on around. Some pure facts, some noise, and a lot of unanswered questions.
Given the plethora of information or misinformation around, there are a lot of questions that people are asking about E20. In this article, we will answer some of the most common and obvious questions that people are asking with regards to concerns around E20 fuel and the impact on their older cars or other motor vehicles.
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What is E20 petrol?
E20 petrol is a blend of 20 percent ethanol and 80 percent petrol. Here, the E stands for ethanol and the number after it stands for the percentage of ethanol blend in a litre of petrol. For example, E20 means that in a litre of petrol, 200ml is ethanol and the rest 800ml is
What are the benefits of E20 petrol?
A higher ethanol blend in fuel can be beneficial for a number of reasons. First and foremost is cost. Ethanol is a cheaper fuel and blending it with petrol reduces cost as compared to pure petrol. Second is that ethanol is more environmentally friendly while burning. According to studies, ethanol creates 40% to 50% less greenhouse gas emissions as compared to petrol. However, on the flip side ethanol production requires a lot of water and land, which on the other hand is sort of detrimental to the environment in the longer run.
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What are the disadvantages of ethanol?
Now there are many disadvantages to ethanol as a fuel. The most relevant to India is fuel efficiency. You see, the calorific value of ethanol is much lower than that of gasoline or petrol. This means that the engine would require more fuel to create a full combustion cycle, resulting in more fuel usage. The second problem is the corrosive nature of ethanol. In cars that do not use ethanol compliant coatings in fuel tanks, rubber hosings, pipes, pumps, and the likes, ethanol is bound to create corrosion in metal parts over time. It can also make the rubber seals and hosings hard over time, and the pipes and fuel pumps can also choke due to the corrosion.
Not only that, if stored for some time in a non-compliant fuel tank, ethanol can also separate from petrol if there is exposure to moisture. This would lead to the ethanol settling on the bottom of the tank and petrol floats over it. The ethanol on the bottom slowly creates corrosion on the fuel tank which will be fatal for older, non-compliant cars. And finally, the production cost. Environmental cost. 1 litre of ethanol production, depending on the crop that is being used to make it, can potentially use thousands of litres of water.
Why is E20 petrol being pushed in all petrol pumps?
The Government of India had launched its plan to increase the blend of ethanol in petrol over time. This, the government says, will reduce crude oil imports and boost farmer income in the country, along with reducing the carbon emissions caused by vehicles.
Why are people upset about the E20 implementation?
The plan, according to a 2020 NITI Aayog roadmap, was to have E20 petrol in all petrol pumps across the country by 2030. This was fast-tracked by the government by 5 years, despite having a proper roadmap and a phased approach that was supposed to be met by 2030. By doing so 5 years early, the government has put every non-E20 compliant car at risk to face technical and/ or mechanical problems in the longer run. It has also been reported that people’s warranty and insurance claims have also been rejected due to E20, since most cars manuals still say that they should put up to E10 or E15 fuel in their cars.
E20 cars started selling in India after Q1 2023, which means that every car purchased before 2023 is not E20 compliant and is at risk of breaking down due to the quality of fuel available.
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How much mileage drop will I see with E20?
Now, this is something that can’t be said for sure since it varies due to multiple factors. One outlet cites 10-20% or more mileage loss reported in surveys for pre-2023 cars, with some users seeing 20-30% drops. In an Autocar report, the measured estimate came out to be around 8-12% for older petrol cars in real-world testing, and the theoretical energy-density loss is closer to 6-7% before engine recalibration offsets are considered.
Will E20 void my car’s warranty if my manual says E10 only?”
This is where a lot of confusion exists. Now there are many reports of users online complaining that brands are refusing to give warranty claims on E20-related damages. However, SIAM has recently clarified that vehicle manufacturers will honour warranties on older vehicles running E20, regardless of what the owner’s manual says.
Is E20 available everywhere now, or can I still get E10/pure petrol?
From April 1, 2026, every petrol pump across the country dispenses E20 fuel, with no E10 or E5 available at any retail outlet. The only alternative is XP100 ethanol-free petrol, which is priced at Rs 167/litre in Delhi. This also is available in only 1 percent or less petrol stations across the country.
Which cars are NOT E20 compatible?
While this is something that requires a full listicle itself, every car sold in India before 2023 is most likely not E20 compliant. Honda is the only brand that has been making cars that are compliant with higher ethanol blends since 2009, but the cars before 2023 here also do not mention E20 compliance anywhere in the manual or fuel tank lid.
Should I buy a petrol car now?
Yes, there seems to be no reason to not buy a new petrol car since all the vehicles being sold across budgets and segments are E20 compliant or compatible. In case you still don’t want to put E20 in your new car, XP100 petrol is available, you just have to find it near your locality.
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