Petrol without ethanol will never come back! Government turned milk into water in Parliament

A very big and clear statement has come out from the Central Government regarding the use of petrol in the country. Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Suresh Gopi, through a written reply in Parliament, has made it very clear that 20 percent ethanol blend (E20) in petrol is a completely safe, clean and technologically advanced fuel. The government has no intention of returning to the old system i.e. petrol without ethanol (E0) or E10 at any cost. The government clearly believes that the country should keep moving towards better and modern technology.

The big target of 20% blending was achieved before the scheduled time.

According to data presented in Parliament, India has achieved the milestone of blending 20% ​​ethanol in petrol, five years ahead of its target. If we look at the data of the last few years, the average ethanol blending during the year 2022-23 was around 12 percent, which increased to around 14.6% in the year 2023-24, around 19.2% in 2024-25 and now has touched the full 20 percent mark in 2025-26 (during November to June). However, the government has also clarified that at present no new decision has been taken regarding blending more than 20%. At the same time, E85 (85% ethanol) fuel for flex-fuel vehicles is certified only for those vehicles and is not included in the normal petrol supply.

Are vehicle engines really breaking down? Government dismissed apprehensions

This question is often raised in social media and general discussions whether petrol mixed with ethanol spoils the engine of vehicles or reduces the mileage. On this, the government has strictly rejected all these apprehensions. The government said that after extensive laboratory tests, field data and actual use investigation by reputed institutions like NITI Aayog, IOCL, ARAI, IIP and SIAM, it has been proven that E20 fuel does not cause any abnormal damage or wear to the vehicle engines.

Quoting data, it was told that a major passenger vehicle manufacturer of the country serviced a total of 2.84 crore vehicles during the financial year 2025-26, which included about 1.5 crore old (i.e. non-E20 certified) vehicles, but not a single complaint of engine damage due to ethanol was reported. At present, more than 20 crore two-wheelers and more than 3 crore petrol cars are running successfully on E15+ and E20 blending on the roads of the country without any major technical glitches.

What is the impact on mileage and performance?

Clarifying the situation regarding the mileage of vehicles, the government said that fuel efficiency depends on many factors, such as driving habits, timely servicing of the vehicle and the condition of the roads. However, in some vehicles with the older E10 design, the use of E20 fuel may result in a slight reduction in mileage of maximum 3 to 5 percent, but in comparison, E20 fuel has a much higher octane number. Due to this, the vehicle’s pick-up (acceleration), ride quality and overall engine performance becomes better than before.

The country and farmers are getting huge economic benefits

The use of ethanol blended petrol is providing many major benefits to the country’s economy and farmers:

• There has been huge saving of foreign exchange, which has saved the country more than ₹1.97 lakh crore.
• A huge reduction of about 316 lakh metric tonnes has been recorded in the import of crude oil.
• Giving relief to the environment, emissions of about 952 lakh metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) have been reduced.
• Apart from this, farmers of the country have received direct payment of more than ₹ 1.66 lakh crore through sugarcane and other crops.

Strong consumer support mechanism for redressal of complaints

Public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) have created a robust and transparent system to resolve any complaint or suggestion related to E20 petrol. Consumers can express their views through the complaint booklet kept at petrol pumps, toll-free helpline number, official websites of the companies, mobile apps, social media and CPGRAMS portal, on which appropriate action is taken within the stipulated time-frame.