Industry experts on Saturday defended the government's ethanol blending programme, saying the transition to E20 fuel followed years of scientific assessment, stakeholder consultations and vehicle testing, amid growing backlash over the policy.
Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, former Engineers India Ltd (EIL) chairman and managing director Vartika Shukla said the ethanol blending programme was not introduced abruptly and had undergone a structured rollout process.
"The ethanol blending programme was placed in the public domain for structured discussions and stakeholder consultations in 2018," Shukla said.
She said the initiative is supported by scientific studies and testing carried out by automobile manufacturers, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).
India achieved its E20 blending target in December 2025 after a phased implementation process, Shukla added.
The comments come amid concerns raised by some vehicle owners over the impact of E20 fuel on mileage and vehicle performance.
Industry leaders say E20 poses no major concerns
Toyota Kirloskar Motor Country Head and Executive Vice President Vikram Gulati said ethanol has long been used as a transport fuel and is supported by established technical standards.
"Ethanol is a clean fuel which offers good drivability and acceleration," Gulati said.
He added that ethanol is derived from plant-based sources and contributes to lower carbon emissions. "In an era when people are facing the issue of climate change, this is a zero-carbon fuel derived from plants," he said.
Gulati also said the automobile industry operates under a defined regulatory framework in which fuel specifications are established before vehicles are approved for consumers. Referring to global usage, he said ethanol-based fuel is used in Formula 1 racing and has been part of automotive fuel systems for decades.
Maruti Suzuki Senior Executive Officer Rahul Bharti said concerns around E20 have largely centred on vehicles manufactured before the fuel standard was introduced. However, he said testing has not identified significant issues with the fuel.
"That is the central question which needs to be addressed," Bharti said, adding, "We haven't found anything of concern in E20 fuel."
The panel of experts also included representatives from Bajaj Auto, TVS Motor, Hyundai Motor India and Hero MotoCorp.
Industry cites energy security benefits
The experts said the ethanol blending programme aims to reduce carbon emissions, lower dependence on imported crude oil and strengthen energy security.
Former Indian Oil Corporation chairman B Ashok further said ethanol blending has contributed to energy security, supported farmer incomes and helped reduce emissions. He said scientific studies have not found evidence that E20 fuel damages engines or causes major reductions in fuel efficiency.
India's ethanol blending programme was launched in 2003 and has been expanded in phases over the past two decades as part of efforts to reduce crude oil imports and promote cleaner transport fuels.
"We are the world's largest two-wheeler manufacturer. We sell over 6 million motorcycles a year and understand the responsibility we have towards our customers. All our vehicles undergo extensive testing. We analyse crores of service records from across the country. Based on the data available to us, there is no evidence of higher damage in vehicles running on E20 fuel," said Ashutosh Varma, chief business officer at Hero MotoCorp, during the press conference.
Industry representatives also stressed the importance of ethanol-blended fuel in strengthening India's energy security during periods of geopolitical uncertainty, including disruptions arising from conflicts in West Asia.
Tests covered vehicles up to 10 years old: ARAI
Director of the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) Reji Mathai said fuel-efficiency studies were conducted jointly with vehicle manufacturers to assess the impact of E20 fuel compared with E10.
"The studies were done along with the OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturer), the vehicle manufacturers who understand their vehicles very well, to assess the impact of E20 compared to E10," Mathai told news agency ANI.
He said ethanol has a lower calorific value than petrol, which can affect fuel consumption. According to him, the tests were carried out under controlled laboratory conditions, with factors such as chamber temperature and vehicle operation closely monitored to isolate the effect of the fuel blend.
"When these tests are done in controlled conditions - chamber temperatures maintained, vehicles on rollers - we can precisely understand the impact due to the fuel," he said.
Mathai said the study covered vehicles of different ages, including models that were around 10 years old, eight years old and between three and four years old. "These vehicles, when tested, showed a range of around 2 to 6% drop in fuel consumption," he said.
Centre counters misinformation on E20
Earlier on Friday, the Centre allocated an additional 2 million tonnes of surplus broken rice from Food Corporation of India (FCI) stocks for ethanol production, over and above the 5.2 million tonnes already released under the ethanol blending programme. The government also issued a detailed rebuttal to what it described as misinformation circulating on social media about E20 fuel, rejecting claims related to water consumption, engine damage, insurance validity and environmental impact.
In a 10-point clarification, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said the programme, under which petrol can contain up to 20 per cent ethanol, is backed by scientific studies, international experience and regulatory safeguards.
Rejecting claims that producing one litre of ethanol requires 10,000 litres of water, the ministry said only surplus rice stocks, released after meeting national food security requirements, are used for ethanol production.
 "Industry leaders back E20 rollout, say years of testing found no concerns")
