The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued a statement on Sunday to address numerous claims and concerns circulating on social media regarding the use of E20 gasoline. These concerns relate to loss of range, potential engine damage, insurance, fuel prices, and water consumption.
Answers to Main Claims Against E20
The government rejected the widespread assertion that E20 gasoline leads to a 30 percent reduction in fuel consumption. Authorities explained that the 30 percent figure refers exclusively to the lower calorific value of ethanol compared to gasoline, not to an actual drop in range under normal operating conditions. They emphasized that fuel consumption depends much more on driving style, tire pressure, maintenance, and air conditioning load than on the type of fuel.
Citing data from Maruti Suzuki, the government stated that the actual impact on consumption is significantly smaller. According to the company's data, for a vehicle consuming 20 km per liter, the reduction may be around 0.6 km per liter.
Engine Damage Concerns
According to the official statement, no widespread pattern of engine failures related to this fuel has been registered since the introduction of E20. It was noted that E20 was approved only after comprehensive tests conducted jointly by SIAM, ARAI, and IOCL with vehicle manufacturers.
Furthermore, the government presented Maruti Suzuki's service data for 2025–2026 across 28.4 million vehicles. More than 15 million of these were older than three years and therefore lacked E20 certification, yet the company found no damage related to E20.
Performance and Insurance
The government also refuted the claim that ethanol is not a high-performance fuel. It was pointed out that ethanol has a high octane rating of about 108.5, compared to 84.4 for gasoline. The introduction of E20 increases the effective octane rating of gasoline in India to approximately 95, which improves combustion in modern engines. It was stated that vehicles tuned for E20 can provide better dynamics, smoother operation, and lower emissions.
Regarding insurance issues, the government referred to insurers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), who clarified that using E20 gasoline does not affect the validity of the insurance policy or warranty obligations in India. SIAM confirmed that warranties will be honored for vehicles using E20 fuel that meets established specifications.
Economy and Ecology
Concerning the question of why consumers do not benefit if ethanol is cheaper, the statement indicated that the NITI Aayog report used as an argument dates back to the 2020–2021 period, when ethanol was indeed cheaper than gasoline. The government noted that the cost of procuring ethanol has since exceeded the cost of refined gasoline, but the mandate remains due to advantages in energy security, ecology, and farmer income.
The Ministry clarified that the lawsuit concerned contracts for ethanol procurement, not the merits of E20. The legal department clarified on June 30, 2026, that this assertion is incorrect.
Production Process and Safety
The government labeled viral videos showing raw juice being mixed with gasoline as 'misleading.' It was explained that ethanol is produced through fermentation and industrial processing, which completely alters its properties. The fuel must also meet established quality standards before being blended with gasoline.
Regarding the claim of consuming 10,000 liters of water per liter of ethanol, the government rejected this information. It was stated that an ethanol plant uses only three to five liters of treated water per liter of ethanol produced, and modern distilleries operate on zero liquid discharge systems. It was also noted that it is incorrect to attribute the entire agricultural water footprint of rice cultivation to ethanol production; only surplus rice, specified and permitted by the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) after meeting national food security requirements, is directed towards ethanol production.
In response to concerns that E20 might spoil fuel due to ethanol's hygroscopic properties, the government reminded that preventing water ingress into tanks is a basic requirement for all vehicles, regardless of fuel composition. Modern cars are equipped with structural features and protections to prevent water from entering fuel tanks.
