The federal government on Tuesday termed claims that utilizing E20 petrol—80 elements petrol and 20 elements ethanol—results in a “drastic” discount in gasoline effectivity in older autos as “misplaced”, including that research performed by organisations together with the nation’s high car business affiliation present that effectivity drop is just marginal, whereas the blended gasoline affords numerous benefits. It additionally assured automobile house owners that any determination on scaling up ethanol mixing in petrol past the present 20 per cent might be a thought-about determination based mostly on detailed consultations between numerous stakeholders together with automobile producers, entities concerned in provide of feed inventory, analysis and improvement (R&D) companies, oil corporations, and ethanol producers.
“The critiques suggesting that E20 causes a ‘drastic’ discount in gasoline effectivity are misplaced. Car mileage is influenced by quite a lot of elements past simply gasoline kind. These embody driving habits, upkeep practices akin to oil modifications and air filter cleanliness, tyre strain and alignment, and even air-con load. Intensive discussions have been carried out with the Society of Indian Vehicle Producers (SIAM) in addition to outstanding producers of autos. The effectivity drop (if any) in E10 (gasoline with 90 per cent petrol and 10 per cent ethanol) autos has been marginal. For some producers, autos have been E20 appropriate from way back to 2009. The query of any drop in gasoline effectivity in such autos doesn’t come up,” the Ministry of Petroleum and Pure Gasoline mentioned in an in depth launch on Tuesday.
The discharge is the second assertion from the MoPNG this month over issues amongst automobile house owners about doable dangers that ethanol-blended petrol might pose to engines, with apprehensions that in older automobiles, utilizing blended gasoline might negatively influence gasoline economic system and shorten the engine’s lifespan. The MoPNG mentioned that the issues associated to efficiency and mileage being raised now have been anticipated “as early as 2020” and an inter-ministerial committee (IMC) of the NITI Aayog had examined them at size, discovering no main reason behind concern. “This additionally was backed by analysis research carried out by IOCL (Indian Oil Company), ARAI (Automotive Analysis Affiliation of India) and SIAM,” it mentioned.
Whereas newer autos, significantly these bought since 2023, are understood to be E20 appropriate, engines of many autos made earlier than that haven’t been particularly tuned for such blended gasoline, resulting in apprehensions that such autos may very well be at an obstacle within the long-term. An auto business government mentioned that corrosion within the engine is of specific concern, which may very well be much more pronounced within the case of two-wheelers. The chief additionally defined that the calorific worth of ethanol blended gasoline is increased than gasoline, which signifies that extra gasoline is burnt for comparable efficiency, which brings down the gasoline economic system of the automobile. These worries have led to a number of customers questioning its influence on the longevity of their autos, along with issues about mileage.
In keeping with the federal government, the influence on older autos could be restricted to some rubber elements and gaskets requiring substitute sooner than ordinary, which is cheap and could be executed throughout routine servicing.
“…security requirements for E20 are properly established via BIS (Bureau of Indian Requirements) specs and Automotive Trade Requirements. In most parameters together with drivability, startability, steel compatibility, plastic compatibility, there are not any points. Solely in case of sure older autos, some rubber elements and gaskets could require substitute sooner than in case non-blended gasoline was used. This substitute is cheap and could be simply managed throughout routine servicing. It could must be executed as soon as within the lifetime of auto and is a straightforward course of to be carried out at any licensed workshop,” it added.
India achieved 20 per cent ethanol mixing simply final month, 5 years forward of the unique goal. The 20 per cent mixing intention had earlier been superior from 2030 to 2025-26, given the success the nation tasted in reaching 10 per cent mixing ranges forward of schedule. In keeping with the federal government, the E20 gasoline presents vital benefits for contemporary engines.
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“Using E20 offers higher acceleration, higher experience high quality and most significantly, lowered carbon emissions by roughly 30% as in comparison with E10 gasoline. Ethanol’s higher-octane quantity (round 108.5 in comparison with petrol’s 84.4) makes Ethanol-blended fuels a beneficial various for higher-octane necessities that’s essential for contemporary high-compression engines. Autos tuned for E20 ship higher acceleration which is a vital think about metropolis driving circumstances. Moreover, Ethanol’s increased warmth of vaporization reduces consumption manifold temperatures, rising air-fuel combination density and boosting volumetric effectivity,” the MoPNG mentioned.
“Beforehand Petrol was being bought in India with a analysis octane quantity (RON) of 88. Right now, common petrol in India has a RON of 91 to fulfill the necessities of BS-VI, which goals to cut back dangerous emissions. Nevertheless, this has once more been improved additional to RON 95 with mixing of Ethanol 20, leading to higher anti knocking properties and efficiency,” it added.
In keeping with the MoPNG, Brazil has been efficiently operating on E27 gasoline for years with none problem, and automakers like Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai, which manufacture and promote autos in India, achieve this in Brazil as properly, which signifies that examined and confirmed automobile expertise is obtainable with authentic gear producers to be used of ethanol-blended petrol.
It’s price noting that versatile gasoline automobiles, or flex gasoline automobiles, have been operating in Brazil for many years now, permitting Brazilians the selection of various ethanol mix ranges at completely different value factors. In India, nevertheless, flex gasoline autos are nonetheless extraordinarily uncommon and presently there is no such thing as a choice for the buyer to decide on the ethanol mix degree. The Indian authorities has been pushing automakers to supply flex gasoline autos, however the phase is but to take off within the nation.
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“There proceed to be apprehensions on whether or not the nation will transcend E20 very quickly. Any transfer past E20 requires cautious calibration, for which intensive consultations are underway…This course of is but to succeed in conclusion. In the intervening time, the present roadmap commits Authorities to E20 upto 31.10.2026. Selections for past 31.10.2026 will contain submission of the Report of the Inter Ministerial Committee, analysis of its suggestions, stakeholder consultations and a thought-about determination of Authorities on this regard. That call is but to be taken,” the MoPNG added. There had been some indications earlier {that a} mixing degree of round 27 per cent may very well be the subsequent goal within the ethanol-blending programme.
‘Ethanol not cheaper than petrol’
On the argument that ethanol-blended petrol needs to be cheaper than unblended petrol, the federal government clarified that whereas ethanol was once cheaper than petrol until a couple of years in the past, that’s no extra the case. Over time, the procurement value of ethanol has elevated considerably, resulting in the weighted common value of the biofuel exceeding the pre-tax value of refined petrol. The value of petrol on the gasoline retail stations is considerably increased than its refinery gate value on account of excessive incidence of central and state levies on the gasoline.
“At present, the common procurement value of Ethanol for Ethanol Provide 12 months 2024-25, as on 31.07.2025, is Rs.71.32 per litre, inclusive of transportation and GST…Worth of C-heavy molasses based mostly Ethanol elevated from Rs.46.66 (ESY 2021-22) to Rs.57.97 (ESY 2024-25). Worth of Maize-based Ethanol elevated from Rs.52.92 to Rs.71.86 over the identical interval. Regardless of the rise in value of ethanol compared to petrol, the oil corporations haven’t gone again on the ethanol mixing mandate as a result of the programme delivers on power safety, boosts farmers’ incomes and environmental sustainability,” the MoPNG mentioned.
In keeping with info offered by the nation’s largest refiner and gasoline retailer IOCL, the bottom value of petrol as of August 1 was Rs 52.83 per litre, whereas the gasoline’s retail value in Delhi is Rs 94.77, which is inclusive of central excise, worth added tax, and seller fee.