The Ministry of Heavy Industries has not conducted an assessment regarding the exact percentage of vehicles in India fully compatible with E20 petrol, according to a written response submitted in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi.
Despite the absence of a specific compatibility percentage, the government maintained that extensive field trials and technical studies confirm E20 fuel is safe for use under established industry standards. The response comes following criticism from consumer groups and opposition lawmakers regarding potential performance issues and engine wear in legacy vehicles.
The ministry stated that the Ethanol Blended Petrol program was rolled out through a structured, multi-stakeholder framework involving NITI Aayog, oil marketing companies (OMCs), automobile manufacturers, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), and the Indian Institute of Petroleum. Government-backed testing evaluated engine durability, drivability, startability, corrosion resistance, emissions, and material compatibility. The findings indicated that legacy vehicles show no significant variations in performance or abnormal component wear when operated on E20 fuel.
Addressing concerns over fuel economy, the government reported that any mileage drop in vehicles originally calibrated for E10 petrol is generally limited to 3% to 5%. The ministry noted that blends of E15 or higher have been in active distribution for over three and a half years, while E19 and E20 blends have been in widespread use for over two and a half years, covering an active fleet of more than 20 crore two-wheelers and 3 crore petrol passenger cars.