Petrol

Petrol and diesel sales by India's three state-run fuel retailers rose sharply in July as below-normal monsoon rainfall boosted fuel demand from farmers and motorists, preliminary industry sales data showed. Petrol sales by Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) climbed 9.7 per cent to 3.45 million tonnes during July, compared with 3.14 million tonnes in the corresponding period a year ago. The volume was also 15.1 per cent higher than 2.99 million tonnes sold during July 2024 and 36.1 per cent above the level recorded in the same period of 2023. Compared to June, however, petrol sales fell 1.1 per cent from 3.48 million tonnes. Diesel sales, a key indicator of economic activity in India, rose 10.7 per cent year-on-year to 7.12 million tonnes in July from 6.43 million tonnes a year earlier. Diesel is India's most widely used fuel, powering freight transport, agricultural machinery and irrigation. Below-normal monsoon rainfal

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday demanded the government give the option to choose between pure petrol and E20 at fuel pumps and announced a march to the prime minister's residence on August 4 to submit petitions. Addressing a town hall style meeting on E20 fuel at the Constitution Club of India here, Kejriwal said he would collect petitions at noon on Monday and lead a march to Narendra Modi's residence on Lok Kalyan Marg with around 100 people. Kejriwal demanded that consumers be allowed to choose between E20 and regular petrol at fuel stations, and demanded lower prices for E20 mixed petrol, and a cut in petrol prices. The former Delhi chief minister also urged the government to make public the report that it cited to claim that E20 does not damage vehicles. "The Centre says studies have been conducted and E20 does not harm vehicles. I want them to share that report," he said. People from across states attended the event and shared their ...

Road Transport Minister says E20 is the only petrol sold at retail outlets nationwide, making separate display of ethanol blending levels unnecessary

Petrol blended with 20 per cent ethanol (E20) can reduce fuel economy by 2 to 6 per cent depending on the vehicle category and vintage, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari informed Parliament on Thursday. The Union Minister, however, argued that tests for engine durability on a dynamometer and on-road vehicle tests have not shown any failures due to E20. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Gadkari said E20 fuel provides better acceleration, improved ride quality and approximately 30 per cent lower carbon emissions compared to E10 fuel. Gadkari said a study to evaluate the effect of E20 on BS-III, BS-IV and BS-VI E10 (Gasoline) two-wheelers and four-wheelers was carried out jointly by ARAI, SIAM and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL). He said the study comprised of standard testing as per the respective certification requirements & customized test protocols developed along with the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). "The fuel efficiency of vehicles may be ...

Sales of 100-octane petrol, the only ethanol-free fuel available in India, have more than doubled in recent months as concerns over E20 petrol spread among some vehicle owners through social media

Demand for 100-octane petrol has surged, particularly in Delhi, as social media claims over E20-related vehicle damage prompt more motorists to switch fuels

The government on Monday said it has not assessed the proportion of vehicles in the country that are fully compatible with E20 petrol, but maintained that extensive studies and field trials have found the fuel to be safe for use under prescribed standards. In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said, "Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) have informed that no such assessment has been done by them" of the percentage of vehicles currently compatible with E20 fuel (petrol doped with 20 per cent ethanol). The minister said the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme had been implemented through a phased and scientifically validated process involving NITI Aayog, automobile manufacturers, oil marketing companies, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) and other technical institutions. He said laboratory studies

Delhi-based transport bodies have announced a protest march to the Parliament on August 4 demanding withdrawal ethanol-blended petrol. The call has been given by the Delhi Taxi and Tourist Transporters and Tour Operators Association and others. "We are planning to hold a protest march to Parliament on August 4 against ethanol blended petrol demanding its withdrawal. We want to give a wake-up call to the member of parliaments who are sleeping till now on this issue, as the problems in vehicles from the ethanol blending are coming from across the country," Sanjay Samrat, president, Delhi Taxi and Tourist Transporters and Tour Operators Association, said. "We do not want to make this a political issue, and are not associated with any 'E-20 Janta Party' or Cockroach Janta Party or any other political party," Samrat added, referring to the online movement against the E20 fuel, a blend of 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol. Harish Sabharwal, national president, All India Motor ..

The Centre said there is no proposal to revert to ethanol-free or E10 petrol, citing E20 fuel's scientific validation, widespread adoption and benefits for energy security and sustainability

A consumer court in Raipur has delivered a significant ruling in the ongoing E20 petrol debate. The Commission has directed Maruti Suzuki to replace a customer's Grand Vitara

Survey conducted by LocalCircles among more than 22,000 petrol vehicle owners across 277 districts has found that nearly 6 in 10 owners of newer petrol vehicles reported a mileage drop.

The government explains E20 petrol pricing citing higher ethanol procurement cost, but motorists still lack a transparent price build-up, a cost-per-km comparison and a retail tax concession

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari defended the Centre's ethanol-blending programme, saying motorists who prefer 100 per cent petrol can buy it, but will have to pay more than for ethanol-blended fuel

FADA says its nationwide dealer network has not reported a single documented E20-related complaint and has launched an awareness drive to address customer concerns

The government cited logistical challenges and investments in ethanol infrastructure while acknowledging that E20 fuel delivers 3-5 per cent lower mileage than conventional petrol

The Indian Sugar and Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) on Wednesday said recent claims about E20 petrol damaging vehicles, attracting insects, invalidating insurance, or involving the direct mixing of sugarcane juice with fuel were 'misleading and factually incorrect'. The industry body urged that public discourse on ethanol-blended petrol be guided by scientific evidence, verified data and official clarifications. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has said India's Ethanol Blending Programme is scientifically validated, rigorously tested, and continuously monitored, in consultation with oil marketing companies, automakers, fuel testing agencies, and other stakeholders. The government said no incidents of engine failure or vehicle breakdown had been linked to E20 petrol since its rollout. The ministry said fuel-grade ethanol is produced through industrial processes such as fermentation and distillation and does not resemble its original agricultural feedstock. It is

The government on Friday issued a detailed rebuttal to what it described as misinformation circulating on social media about the country's E20 ethanol blending programme, rejecting claims ranging from excessive water consumption and engine damage to insurance invalidation and environmental harm. In a 10-point clarification, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said the programme, under which petrol contains up to 20 per cent ethanol, is supported by scientific studies, international experience and regulatory safeguards. Rejecting claims that producing one litre of ethanol consumes 10,000 litres of water, the ministry said only surplus rice, cleared after meeting national food security requirements, is diverted for ethanol production. It added that ethanol distilleries consume about 3-5 litres of processed water per litre of ethanol and increasingly operate Zero Liquid Discharge systems to recycle water. The ministry also said maize, which now accounts for more than 40 per cent

The Centre defended the mandatory use of 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol after criticism over fuel efficiency and vehicle performance fuelled calls for protests

Petrol and diesel consumption rose despite higher fuel prices, while ATF demand edged lower and LPG sales declined amid supply disruptions from West Asia

On June 12, the government had prohibited industrial and commercial consumers from purchasing petrol and diesel from retail outlets, directing them to source fuel from designated consumer pumps