India defends E20 petrol mileage impact

The Indian government, through the India — Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, issued a clarification on August 15, 2026, stating that vehicle mileage changes cannot be attributed solely to E20 petrol (20% ethanol-blended fuel). The ministry emphasized that real-world fuel economy depends on multiple factors including driving habits, traffic conditions, vehicle maintenance, tyre pressure, and air-conditioning usage. This statement comes amid growing consumer concerns over the impact of E20 on mileage and vehicle performance. The government acknowledged that some vehicles may experience a 3-5% reduction in fuel economy with E20 but maintained that actual mileage varies with driving and vehicle conditions. Additionally, state-run oil marketing companies Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum conducted nationwide testing and inspections, finding no evidence of significant chloride contamination or water ingress in E20 petrol. They tested over 100 petrol samples, ethanol samples from 80 distilleries, and inspected underground storage tanks at around 90,000 fuel stations. Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri also defended the fuel quality, stating that only a few contamination cases were detected. The government also highlighted that ethanol blending helped shield consumers from global crude oil price volatility, citing that petrol in Delhi could have cost around Rs 125 per litre when the Indian crude basket approached $135 per barrel, but instead cost Rs 94.77 per litre.