'Name any one vehicle which...': Nitin Gadkari's dare to critics amid E20 fears

As criticism over the sale of E20 petrol mounted and motorists complained of lower fuel efficiency, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday challenged critics to name a single car that had developed problems because of the fuel. Defending the ethanol-blending programme, he said there was no case of any car facing issues due to E20 petrol, according to PTI.

"There is no case of any car facing issues due to E20 petrol. Has there been any car in the country that faced issues due to the use of E20 petrol? Just name one," he said. He added, "...false narratives are being spread about the roll-out of higher ethanol-blended petrol. These are paid campaigns," he said.

India has already achieved 20 per cent blending of ethanol, produced from biomass such as sugarcane, corn or rice, with petrol. The move is aimed at reducing reliance on imported crude oil and cutting carbon emissions. Gadkari said India spends ₹22 lakh crore every year on fuel imports and described dependence on fossil fuels as both an economic burden and an environmental hazard.

The Union Minister said vehicle owners in India do not have the option of choosing between different fuels at petrol pumps, unlike in Brazil, where customers are offered a choice of fuels at different prices. Under Brazilian law, he said, higher ethanol blends have to be sold at a discount.

Where did the money go?

Responding to allegations that companies owned by his family members are involved in ethanol production and that this was why he was pushing higher ethanol-blended petrol, the road transport and highways minister said his family members own sugar factories and that their companies are not dependent on ethanol production. He also said that, as ethanol was surplus in the country, the decision to make ethanol from corn had generated additional income of ₹45,000 crore for farmers in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

"When we decided to make ethanol from corn, the corn's market price was ₹1,200 per quintal, and the MSP was ₹1,800 per quintal. After the decision, corn's price went up to ₹2,800 per quintal. An additional ₹45,000 crore went into the pockets of farmers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar," he said.

Centre proposes amendments to vehicle emission rules

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has proposed amendments to vehicle emission rules to widen the scope for higher ethanol blends and alternative fuels. The draft changes to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 seek to allow wider use of fuels such as E85, E100, B100 bio-diesel and hydrogen-CNG combinations, paving the way for flex-fuel and pure bio-fuel vehicles across vehicle categories.

Does the use of E-20 fuel in vehicles affect the fuel system?

Meanwhile, a study by the Automotive Research Association of India found that prolonged use of E20 in vehicles designed for E10 could gradually affect rubber parts in the fuel system, including hoses, gaskets, seals and O-rings, and that these components may need replacement over time. It found no adverse impact on metallic parts, while emissions from E10-compatible vehicles using E20 remained within prescribed legal limits.

The study also found that engine durability results in four-wheelers were not uniform across manufacturers. One original equipment manufacturer recorded no issues after 400 hours of testing. In another case, a thermomechanical failure of the exhaust valve was observed after 809 hours of cumulative testing, though people with knowledge of the findings said factors unrelated to E20 could also have contributed. For two-wheelers, tests across three manufacturers found no issues, while fuel consumption on E20 was about 2 per cent to 6 per cent higher than on E10, depending on the model.