E20 Ethanol-Blended Petrol Causes ‘No Issues’ For ‘Most Parameters’ of Vehicle Function: Gadkari
New Delhi: Using the ‘E20’ grade of ethanol-blended petrol causes no issues for “most parameters” of a vehicle's functioning and its official push has yielded savings in foreign exchange, remuneration for farmers and reduction in CO2 emissions, the government said in parliament.
As E20 – an 80:20 mix of petrol and ethanol – became the predominantly available variety of blended petrol in pumps across the country this year amid the government's push for it, the move faced resistance from drivers who were worried that the new fuel was less efficient and that older vehicles would not be compatible with it.
Asked by Trinamool Congress MP Jagadish Basunia for the number of registered vehicles that are currently compatible with E20, Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari in his written response on Thursday (December 11) only said that vehicles sold after April 1, 2023 are E20-material compliant.
“In most parameters, including driveability, startability, metal compatibility and plastic compatibility, there are no issues” when using E20, he said.
Gadkari also provided an oral answer as Basunia's question was a starred one. Speaking on the floor of the Lok Sabha he said that tests conducted by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) where older vehicles were run for 1 lakh kilometres saw “no vehicle engine failures”.
When anxiety surrounding E20 had peaked earlier this year the petroleum ministry had clarified that ethanol “results in a marginal decrease in mileage, estimated at 1-2% for four-wheelers designed for E10 and calibrated for E20, and around 3-6% in others”.
Basunia had also asked what norms the government had in place for the labelling of vehicles depending on their compatibility with E20 fuel.
“The compatibility of [a] vehicle with the level of ethanol blend of E20 shall be defined by the vehicle manufacturer, and the same shall be displayed on the vehicle by putting a clearly visible sticker,” said Gadkari in his written reply.
On whether a programme for phasing out or retrofitting non-compliant vehicles has been announced, Gadkari cited research by the ARAI, IndianOil and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers as indicating that there was no need for this. “Normal wear and tear can be managed during routine servicing regime of the vehicle,” the minister said.
Junior petroleum minister Suresh Gopi said in response to a different question on Thursday that the government's ethanol-blending programme resulted in “expeditious payment to farmers” of more than Rs 1.36 lakh crore between 2014-15 and October this year, alongside savings worth Rs 1.55 lakh crore in foreign exchange, a net CO2 reduction of some 790 lakh metric tonnes as well as substitution of over 260 lakh metric tonnes of crude oil.
Ethanol is largely produced from sugarcane and grains like maize and rice.
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