Ajay Raj, a government official in New Delhi, noticed a drop in his car’s mileage and an increase in its maintenance costs just months after the government introduced 20% ethanol-blended fuel across .
“The mechanic told me E20 blended petrol is making my engine lethargic and the rubber seals are not built for it,” Raj told DW. “In the coming months, I may have to replace parts and recalibrate the engine.”
Government aims for energy security and reduced oil imports
Meenakshi Natrajan, a sales executive in the southern Indian city of Chennai, also reported reduced mileage and potential damage to her .
“I used to get 18 kilometres [11 miles] per liter on the highway, but now it barely touches 13. I can see and feel the car losing power,” Natrajan told DW. “The workshop has warned me that there could be injector clogging and the fuel pump could get damaged on E20 blend.”
India rolled out the E20 fuel with the aim of reducing oil imports as part of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus on clean energy. Ethanol is a biofuel derived from agricultural produce or organic waste.
The move has saved over $16 billion (around €14 billion) in foreign exchange over the past decade, according to official government data and reports — equating to a reduction in crude oil imports by about 24.5 million metric tons.
Mixed views on ethanol blending
A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed last month at India’s Supreme Court after E20 became the only choice of fuel at nearly 90,000 fuel stations across India, leading to an uproar among motorists concerned about the impact on their older vehicles.
The PIL, filed by advocate Akshay Malhotra, sought a direction to the country’s Petroleum Ministry to ensure the availability of ethanol-free gasoline at all fuel stations and to ensure that consumers were informed about ethanol compatibility of their vehicles at the time of fuel dispensing.
But the country’s top court on Monday rejected the PIL and claimed that the introduction of E20 fuel was well considered and would also benefit farmers who grow sugarcane, the main ingredient of ethanol.
Environmentalists and industry experts have expressed mixed views on whether the switch to E20 is essential for sustainability and energy independence.
Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research at the Centre for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based think tank, told DW that higher ratios of ethanol blends of gasoline are creating a different energy system for vehicles.
“This requires very diligent evaluation of the potential impacts on emissions, especially evaporative emissions and unregulated emissions of toxic gases,” she said.
“The potential lowering of fuel economy performance, corrosive impacts on the structural systems of the on-road vehicles, and the implications for food security as food stock is the primary source of this fuel,” Roychowdhury added.
She pointed out that while ethanol blend aims to strengthen energy security, it needs to be pursued with caution to avoid unintended consequences.
Survey reveals widepread issues with E20
A recent Local Circles survey involving over 37,000 petrol vehicle owners across the country revealed that 28% of owners of vehicles purchased in 2022 or earlier experienced unusual levels of wear and tear or repairs in 2025, particularly affecting components such as the engine, fuel lines, tanks, and carburetors.
Additionally, two-thirds of vehicle owners who bought their cars in 2022 or earlier have observed reduced fuel efficiency after using E20 fuel, the survey found.
“Ethanol is a well-proven fuel suitable for automobiles, but the fuel lines should not have rubber parts that ethanol can dissolve,” said automobile expert Murad Ali Baig, who noted that ethanol produces about 30% less energy than standard gasoline, so “acceleration may suffer and cars will have less power.”
Is E20 key to a safe and greener future?
India’s E20 program aligns with successes in other nations, such as Brazil, whose ethanol fuel program faced initial technical challenges, which were largely resolved through technological upgrades and now saves $10-$15 billion annually.
“In the current geopolitical scenario, it is needed to appreciate and support nations moving towards self-reliance and energy security through such steps, rising beyond individual and political aspirations,” Neelkanth Marathe from the Emission Controls Manufacturers Association told DW.
However, Marathe said there are technical challenges to adopt higher levels of ethanol blending typically beyond 15%.
“Ethanol absorbs moisture, which can lead to corrosion of related engine parts and hardening of seals and gaskets causing leakages and compression loss, thus impacting engine performance,” said Marathe, who said that it is essential to replace these parts with compatible grade materials.
While E20 blending has made a notable impact by cutting CO2 emissions so far, shifting to EVs remains essential for accelerating transport sector decarbonization and meeting India’s long-term climate goals, noted Roychowdhury.
“The future automotive roadmap requires rapid market uptake of electric vehicles with zero tailpipe emissions to address the air pollution, public health crisis and growing energy intensity of vehicles in India,” she concluded.
Edited by: Keith Walker
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