No offer to return to Ethan
Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said there is no proposal to return to ethanol-free petrol or petrol containing 10 per cent ethanol, as E20 petrol has been scientifically validated and accepted by the automobile industry after extensive testing.
“The aim of public policy is to move forward with better fuels, not to return to inferior standards,” he said in a written reply to Parliament.
He said maintaining a parallel nationwide supply chain for E0, E10 and E20 petrol at over 100,000 retail outlets would significantly increase logistics complexity, inventory and handling costs.
“Public policy must balance consumer convenience with energy security, environmental sustainability and farmer welfare,” he said.
He also said that the government has not received any widespread or substantiated complaints regarding vehicle performance due to the use of E20 petrol, but some media reports and social media posts have been noted and these concerns have been scientifically investigated.
“E15+ blended petrol has been in widespread use across the country for more than three and a half years and E19-E20 fuel for more than two and a half years, with more than 200 million two-wheelers and more than 30 million petrol cars running on these blends, with no verified evidence of widespread engine failure due to E20 fuel,” Gopi said.
He said automakers were consulted at every stage of the transition from E10 to E20, and extensive laboratory studies and field testing were conducted before the rollout.
first published: 21 July 2026 | 5:50 pm First
