Renault India has issued a clarification regarding the use of E20 fuel in vehicles that were tested and certified for E10, following queries from customers about potential compatibility issues.
The French automaker stated that its Triber model from 2022 was tested and certified for E10 fuel in accordance with the prevailing norms at the time for Type Approval and Production tests. The company was responding to customer concerns about using higher ethanol-blended fuel in vehicles not specifically certified for such variants.
To address these compatibility questions, Indian Oil Corporation and the Automotive Research Association of India conducted durability testing that examined various fuel combinations. The study specifically tested the effects of using E20 fuel in vehicles that had been certified only for E10.
According to Renault's statement, the draft report from this joint study was shared with all original equipment manufacturers following a directive from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
The findings indicated that current on-road vehicles demonstrate compatibility with E20 fuel and concluded there was no adverse impact from using the higher ethanol blend in E10-compliant vehicles.
Based on these test results, Renault India has determined that no significant challenges exist for its vehicles operating on roads when E20 fuel is used in cars that were originally tested and certified for E10 compatibility.
The clarification comes as India continues its push toward higher ethanol blending in petrol as part of its biofuel program aimed at reducing dependence on crude oil imports and lowering vehicular emissions.