When Krishna Kumar pulled into a petroleum station in New Delhi a couple of months in the past, he anticipated nothing greater than a routine gasoline cease. As a substitute, like thousands and thousands of motorists throughout India, he discovered that E20 petrol – a mix containing 20 % ethanol – was the one gasoline accessible.
He had little selection however to refill.
Inside weeks, the financial institution worker started noticing modifications in the way in which his petrol sedan behaved on the highway. His sedan, which had all the time been serviced on time and had by no means given him massive issues, now not felt as responsive. Its gasoline effectivity declined, acceleration turned sluggish and driving uphill or with the air conditioner on appeared noticeably completely different.
The mileage, he stated, dropped from about 18-20km (11-12 miles) per litre (0.26 gallons) to about 16-17km (10-11 miles) per litre – a drop of greater than 10 %. “The acceleration is slower, particularly whereas overtaking, driving uphill or utilizing the air conditioner,” he stated. He hasn’t modified the way in which he drives; all that has modified is the gasoline.
Kumar’s plight is one which thousands and thousands of automobile house owners throughout India are struggling because the nation completes one of many world’s quickest transitions to larger ethanol-blended petrol.
Below the Nationwide Coverage on Biofuels, the federal government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi superior its goal of reaching 20 % ethanol mixing from 2030 to 2025. E20 turned necessary throughout petrol stations final yr. Regardless of preliminary considerations over the push – India had, till then, had a most of 10 % ethanol in its petrol – flagged by a number of shoppers, requires a assessment of the coverage died down.
However in June 2026, the federal government’s legal professional common advised India’s Supreme Court docket that the Modi administration was “experimenting” with a 20 % ethanol mix. Despite the fact that the federal government later claimed that the legal professional common had been misunderstood, the feedback led to nationwide outrage, with automobile customers, opposition politicians and analysts – together with quite a few commentators politically aligned with the Modi authorities – questioning the coverage.
The federal government argues that the 20 % ethanol mix will cut back dependence on imported crude oil, strengthen power safety, decrease greenhouse gasoline emissions and create new revenue alternatives for farmers via elevated demand for crops similar to sugarcane and maize.
However shoppers and critics level out that car mileage has dropped – a declare that federal Minister of Street Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has accepted – and a few have alleged that the cocktail gasoline has broken automobile components. Opposition events have additionally accused Gadkari of a possible battle of curiosity – his household is concerned in firms linked to ethanol manufacturing.
But on the coronary heart of the nationwide debate that the E20 petrol-ethanol combine has triggered is a single query that many are asking: Why has the federal government pushed via this gasoline in such a rush?
“Whereas I perceive the federal government’s push for cleaner fuels, I imagine extra consciousness is required about how E20 might have an effect on older petrol autos,” Kumar stated. “Automobile house owners ought to be correctly knowledgeable to allow them to make the best selections and keep away from surprising modifications in efficiency and gasoline financial system.”
Much less highly effective vehicles
Supporters of the federal government’s transfer describe the initiative as a key milestone in India’s clean-energy transition. Critics, nonetheless, argue that many shoppers are experiencing the instant prices via decrease gasoline effectivity, considerations about car compatibility and uncertainty over long-term upkeep.
The rollout has particularly raised questions on thousands and thousands of older petrol autos that stay on Indian roads. Vehicle producers started introducing E20-compatible supplies in new autos from 2023, whereas totally E20-compliant fashions entered the market from 2025. Though the federal government says older autos can safely use E20 with routine upkeep, many homeowners stay uncertain in regards to the long-term influence on engines that weren’t initially designed for larger ethanol blends.
One such proprietor is Anas Khan, a businessman in New Delhi, who says he has observed a transparent distinction in each mileage and engine efficiency after switching to E20 gasoline.
“I personal a 2021 Maruti Suzuki Baleno, and I’ve positively observed a drop in mileage,” he stated, referring to his sedan. “Earlier, my automobile used to provide about 18km per litre, however now it’s down to just about 15km per litre. The pick-up has additionally turn out to be slower, particularly whereas overtaking or driving in metropolis visitors.”
In keeping with impartial car knowledgeable Sajad Ahmad Wani, the results of utilizing E20 rely largely on the design and age of the car. “Automobiles that aren’t E20-compatible are unlikely to develop issues instantly after switching to the gasoline, however with steady use over time, ethanol can speed up the wear and tear of rubber hoses, seals, gaskets and sure gasoline system elements in the event that they weren’t designed for larger ethanol blends. Motorists may discover a slight drop in mileage.”
That mileage ought to drop with larger ethanol content material within the gasoline isn’t any shock.
Ethanol incorporates much less power per litre than standard petrol, which means engines usually require barely extra gasoline to supply the identical quantity of energy. Whereas authorities businesses describe the discount in gasoline financial system as marginal for E20-compatible autos, consultants say the precise influence varies relying on car age, engine design, driving situations and upkeep.
Wani stated many motorists “nonetheless have no idea whether or not their autos are E20-compatible or what modifications they need to realistically count on after switching to the gasoline”. Automobile producers and authorities businesses, he stated, wanted to do extra to speak with car house owners.
Bilal Ahmad, a mechanic, stated he too has lately seen extra clients reporting diminished mileage and engine efficiency.
“Many car house owners who go to my workshop additionally inform me they’re getting decrease mileage than earlier than. From my expertise, there appears to be a connection between the newer gasoline and the issues some petrol car house owners are going through, though the influence might differ from one car to a different.”
Lengthy-term influence
The Indian authorities has disputed most considerations voiced by motorists and mechanics.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Pure Fuel (MoPNG), in a current assertion, stated assertions that E20 petrol harms engines or considerably reduces mileage are “largely unfounded and never supported by scientific proof”.
The ministry cited research performed by the Automotive Analysis Affiliation of India (ARAI), the Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) and oil firms that discovered no vital variations in engine efficiency, energy output, engine put on and different parameters, together with in older autos.
In keeping with the ministry, E20-compatible four-wheelers expertise solely a marginal discount of about 1 to 2 % in gasoline effectivity as a result of ethanol incorporates barely much less power than petrol. It additionally stated any long-term materials degradation can usually be addressed via routine alternative of cheap rubber elements throughout common servicing.
Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has additionally strongly defended the federal government’s ethanol coverage.
Talking at {a magazine} occasion lately, Gadkari stated a number of trade our bodies had concluded that E20 is secure for vehicles. In keeping with Gadkari, the ethanol mixing programme has delivered advantages past the transport sector by creating a bigger marketplace for crops similar to sugarcane and maize, growing farmers’ incomes whereas decreasing India’s dependence on imported crude oil.
However impartial analysts say the fact is extra complicated.
Vitality consultants say India’s nationwide rollout of E20 petrol has largely been profitable from a provide perspective, however they acknowledge that the transition entails trade-offs that motorists are starting to expertise.
“From the provision facet, I feel India was ready sufficient for the rollout of E20 petrol. There was no disruption in its availability at petrol pumps, and the rollout has been going easily. So, from the angle of gasoline provide and availability, I don’t see that as a problem,” stated Shyamasis Das, analysis fellow for power, pure assets and sustainability on the Centre for Social and Financial Progress (CSEP), a New Delhi-based suppose tank.
“The primary trade-off lies elsewhere,” he added, nonetheless.
As a result of ethanol mixing results in gasoline with much less power per litre, and since mileage drops in consequence, autos want extra gasoline to cowl the identical distances they did with decrease or no ethanol blended.
That in flip signifies that whereas India’s crude oil demand would possibly fall, it gained’t drop by as a lot as the degrees of ethanol blended into petrol, Das identified.
“One other essential side is that anhydrous ethanol [very pure ethanol] is corrosive in nature,” he stated. “Engine elements subsequently have to be immune to its corrosive results.”
Whereas newer autos are designed to be appropriate with E20 petrol, Das stated there was nonetheless no consensus on the influence of the mix on older or non-compatible autos.
The farm issue
Environmental consultants warning that the E20 programme additionally raises broader sustainability questions. Whereas ethanol can cut back lifecycle greenhouse gasoline emissions in contrast with standard petrol, increasing the cultivation of water-intensive crops similar to sugarcane might place extra stress on already pressured water assets in a number of components of the nation.
Others have additionally questioned the long-term implications of farmers transferring from meals crops in direction of gasoline manufacturing if that turns into extra profitable.
Maharashtra, considered one of India’s largest sugar-producing states, has emerged because the nation’s main ethanol producer due to its in depth community of cooperative and personal sugar mills. Authorities incentives, mushy loans for brand spanking new distilleries and guaranteed procurement by public sector oil advertising and marketing firms have inspired fast funding in ethanol manufacturing, making the state central to India’s biofuel technique.
The growth of the sector has additionally renewed scrutiny of the political financial system surrounding ethanol manufacturing.
For many years, Maharashtra’s sugar trade has been carefully linked with regional politics. As ethanol manufacturing has expanded, questions have been raised about who advantages most from authorities incentives and whether or not the rewards of the clean-fuel transition are being shared equally.
Among the many strongest advocates of ethanol has been Transport Minister Gadkari. Nonetheless, his assist for the programme has additionally attracted criticism as a result of members of his household have industrial pursuits in firms concerned in agro-processing and ethanol manufacturing, together with CIAN Agro Industries and Manas Agro Industries.
Opposition events, notably the Congress, have argued that this creates the looks of a battle of curiosity, suggesting that insurance policies selling ethanol might not directly profit companies linked to the minister’s household.
Gadkari has persistently rejected these allegations. He has stated ethanol pricing, procurement and mixing selections are taken collectively by the Modi cupboard and applied via state-owned oil advertising and marketing firms reasonably than by him personally. He has additionally maintained that companies linked to his household account for lower than 0.5 % of India’s complete ethanol manufacturing and has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated.
For a lot of observers, nonetheless, the controversy extends past politics.
Shopper teams have referred to as for clearer disclosure of ethanol mix ranges at petrol stations and on gasoline receipts, arguing that motorists ought to have higher entry to details about the gasoline they’re buying and whether or not their autos are appropriate with it.
India’s expertise additionally differs from nations similar to Brazil, the place ethanol has been used for many years alongside widespread adoption of flex-fuel autos particularly designed to run on various ethanol blends. In India, against this, the transition to E20 is going down whereas thousands and thousands of older petrol autos stay in service, making car compatibility and client consciousness much more vital points.
For motorists like Krishna Kumar and Anas Khan, the controversy is about greater than power coverage or environmental targets. It’s in regards to the on a regular basis expertise of driving a car that, of their view, now not performs the way in which it as soon as did.
“Despite the fact that my automobile is only some years outdated and is commonly serviced, it doesn’t really feel as easy or responsive as earlier than,” Khan stated.
