The Indian government is promoting ethanol blending to reduce the country’s reliance on crude oil and support cleaner fuels. Ethanol is mainly produced from crops like sugarcane and maize.
The oil ministry has said that any drop in fuel efficiency for E10 vehicles is minor, and claims of a major fall in performance with E20 are not accurate.
It also noted that some carmakers have been making E20-ready vehicles since 2009, which means such cars should not see a mileage drop. In fact, these vehicles can offer better acceleration, which is useful in city traffic.
Government data shows that because ethanol has lower energy content, there can be a small mileage drop—around 1–2% in four-wheelers made for E10 but adjusted for E20, and 3–6% in cars that are not designed for E20.
One industry expert added that E20-ready cars won’t suffer engine damage, as their parts are made to handle ethanol.
However, cars not designed for E20 could slowly see wear and tear in engine parts over time, though not right away.
Public Anger Over High Price of Ethanol Fuel
Even with these explanations, many people are unhappy with the policy. On social media, users complain that ethanol-blended petrol is cheaper to produce—by about ₹9 per liter—but they don’t see any savings.
Instead, they feel the government is charging them too much, accusing it of pricing the fuel unfairly.
Summary:
Experts say E20 petrol could lower mileage by 2–5%, especially in older or non-compatible cars, because ethanol has less energy.
The government defends the move, pointing to only a small impact and better speed in specially tuned vehicles.
Still, the public is upset over fuel prices, saying ethanol petrol is cheaper to make but still sold at high rates.
