Daijiworld media Network- New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 1: The admission by both the automobile industry and the government that ethanol-blended petrol (E20) reduces vehicle mileage by 2% to 6% has come as a double blow for consumers, who continue to pay higher prices for fuel while their vehicles run less.

Surender Pal Singh, a Delhi-based automobile engineer and former principal of a leading vehicle driving institute, shared his experience. He claimed that the mileage of his car, less than three years old, has fallen sharply in recent months. “When I bought it, the car’s mileage was around 17-17.5 km on Delhi roads. Last year, it slipped to 16.5 km, which I thought was due to driving conditions. But in the past 4-5 months, it dropped further to 14.5 km,” Singh said. He added that switching to premium fuel, which costs nearly Rs 7 more, has slightly improved performance.

Several car users have voiced similar concerns on social media, questioning why they should bear the cost of fuel that delivers less mileage.

A 2021 report by Niti Aayog on ‘Roadmap for ethanol blending in India 2020-25’ had recommended that the retail price of higher ethanol blends be kept lower than normal petrol to offset reduced calorific value and encourage usage. The report also highlighted that E20 fuel could reduce efficiency by 6-7% in four-wheelers designed for E0 and calibrated for E10, and by 3-4% in two-wheelers.

However, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), citing its 2016 and 2021 studies, maintained that E20 did not show any adverse impact on vehicles during testing.