E20 Petrol Compliance Guide: Raipur Consumer Forum’s decision sparked debate; Know whether your car is E10 or E20 compliant? The whole truth about BS4, BS6 and ethanol blending

A new debate has erupted in the country’s automobile sector after the heavy fine imposed on Maruti Suzuki in the E20 petrol case by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission of Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh. The Commission has given a historic order on the complaint of a consumer to the company to deliver a new E20 car or refund an amount of more than ₹ 20.50 lakh. Amidst this controversy, the Central Government and the Petroleum Ministry are continuously clarifying that E20 petrol (20% ethanol blended fuel) has been implemented in the country in a phased manner only after thorough scientific tests and rigorous evaluation and many misconceptions are being spread about it. In such a situation, the biggest question in the minds of crores of vehicle owners in the country is whether their car is E10 or E20 compliant, how to identify it? Also, when did BS4 and BS6 rules come to India and how did the country reach this stage of ethanol blending? Let us understand this entire matter in very simple language. The whole story of E20 controversy and the decision of Raipur Commission. This whole matter started with the complaint of Dr. Premraj Debta, a resident of Raipur. He had purchased a Maruti Grand Vitara Strong Hybrid car in June 2024, but after some time the vehicle’s engine started having serious technical problems again and again. Curd-like substance: The car’s authorized service center attributed the fault to adulteration in petrol, while testing by a government lab found a white curd-like substance inside the fuel tank, which was described as ‘Ethanol’. Strict decision of the Forum: The District Consumer Commission, while hearing the case, ordered Maruti Suzuki to deliver the new E20 fuel powered car within 45 days. In case of non-compliance of the order, the company will have to return ₹ 20,50,494 including the full price of the vehicle, ₹ 1 lakh for mental torture and ₹ 10,000 as litigation expenses to the customer. Dealership’s side: On the other hand, the car dealership says that the vehicle’s fault was not caused by E20 fuel but by extraneous adulteration or debris, which is not covered under the company’s warranty policy. How to identify if your car is E10 or E20 compliant? You can use 4 simple methods given below to check the fuel compatibility of your car: Date and year of purchase: If your car is manufactured on or after April 1, 2023, then it is 100% E20 compliant. The central government had made it mandatory for all new petrol vehicles to be E20 compatible from this date. In contrast, most vehicles sold from 2010 to March 2023 were designed according to E10. Fuel Filler Cap (Fuel Lid Sticker): Look carefully at the sticker near or on the fuel cap (Fuel Cap) of the car. Clearly by companies on new vehicles "E10" Or "E20" A sticker is placed. Vehicle Owner’s Manual: The ‘Fuel and Refueling’ section of the owner’s manual or guide book that comes with the car clearly states the maximum percentage of ethanol blend that your vehicle can handle. Authorized Service Centre: You can get official confirmation from the nearest authorized dealer or service center of your car by providing its model number and chassis number. How to reduce the disadvantages of E20 petrol in old or BS4 vehicles? (Experts Guide) According to famous auto expert Tutu Dhawan, the owners of BS4 (models before/after April 2017) and older vehicles need to be most concerned about E20 petrol. Experts have given the following 3 tips to keep the engines of old vehicles safe: Use of Fuel System Additives: To protect the engines and pipelines of old vehicles from the adverse effects of ethanol, the best fuel system additives available in the market can be used. This helps maintain the cleanliness and safety of fuel injectors. Do not leave the vehicle parked for a long time: Ethanol has a natural tendency to absorb moisture from the air very quickly. If your old car remains parked at one place without driving for 6 months, 1 year or more, then the problem of water and rust in the fuel tank may increase. Regular servicing and running: By running the vehicle at regular intervals and changing the fuel filter and engine oil on time, the risk of damage caused by ethanol becomes almost negligible. What is the difference between E10 and E20 petrol and what are its benefits? Blending Ratio: E10 simply means that 90% pure petrol and 10% ethanol is mixed in the fuel. Whereas, E20 contains a mixture of 20% ethanol with 80% petrol. India had achieved the target of E10 ahead of time in the year 2022 itself. Does mileage reduce?: According to Press Information Bureau (PIB), use of E20 fuel can reduce mileage by 3 to 5 percent in some old vehicles. Environmental benefits: In exchange for a slight reduction in mileage, this fuel provides a better octane rating, resulting in clean combustion within the engine. Due to this, dangerous nitrogen oxide, poisonous smoke and carbon emissions emitted from vehicles reduce to a great extent. What are BS4 and BS6 emission standards and when did they come into force? The Government of India has implemented Bharat Stage (BS) standards to control air pollution caused by vehicles in the country: Emission Standard Date of implementation across the country Main features and technical changes BS4 (Bharat Stage 4) 1 April 2017 Under this, for the first time, strict rules were made to reduce the particulate matter (PM) emitted from vehicles. BS6 (Bharat Stage 6) 1 April 2020 In view of the environmental crisis, India directly implemented BS6, skipping BS5. In this, revolutionary changes were made in the design of the engine, electronic control unit (ECU) and fuel quality, due to which the emissions of nitrogen oxides came down to the lowest level. Can E20 petrol be put in all BS6 vehicles? Yes, of course you can, but it depends on the year of manufacture of your vehicle. The engines of most vehicles manufactured after 2020 (BS6 era) were upgraded in such a way that they can easily accept ethanol. If your BS6 car is after April 2023, you can use E20 petrol without any hesitation. For early (2020-2022) BS6 models, the safest option is to refer to the owner manual. India’s Ethanol Journey: A Timeline from 1.5% to 20% India’s Ethanol Blending Program has grown incredibly over the last two decades: 2001-2006 (Early phase): It started as a pilot project in 2001 and E5 (5% blending) was formally launched in select states of the country in 2006. 2013 recession: In January 2013, the government set a target of 5% blending, but due to very limited ethanol production in the country, this figure remained stuck at only around 1.5 percent. 2018 (Turning Point): The ‘National Policy on Biofuels’ which came in the year 2018 changed the whole game. Apart from sugarcane juice, the government also gave legal permission to make ethanol from corn, rotten rice and additional spoiled grains. Historic journey from 2021 to 2026 (PIB figures): After the E20 roadmap released by NITI Aayog, the pace of ethanol blending in the country was like this: Why is the government laying so much emphasis on E20 petrol and what is the global situation? According to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the three biggest economic and national reasons behind the E20 policy are: Huge saving of foreign exchange: India imports 85% of its crude oil requirement from abroad. By mixing 20% ​​domestic ethanol in petrol, billions of dollars of foreign exchange are being directly saved in the import bill of crude oil. Increase in income of farmers: Ethanol is manufactured mainly from sugarcane and corn. The rural economy is being strengthened due to distilleries purchasing crops directly from farmers. Part of global trend: India is not the first country in the world to use ethanol. E10 is the most common fuel in the US and E15 is increasingly being promoted there. Brazil is the largest consumer of ethanol in the world, where E27 (27% blend) is the standard fuel and the government is preparing to take it to 35%. Apart from this, Japan, Canada and many European countries have been using it successfully for decades as part of their clean energy policy.