The debate surrounding E20 petrol has intensified, with Sasanka Sekhar Sahu, President of the Odisha Petroleum Dealers Association, calling for a government review of the mandatory ethanol blend due to numerous complaints from users. Since the government’s decision to enforce E20 petrol for vehicles across India, consumer criticism has been mounting.

Multiple users have reported problems linked to the use of ethanol-blended fuel, yet the government maintains that ethanol does not harm vehicles, apart from a minor decrease in fuel efficiency. Despite these assertions, the number of complaints regarding E20 petrol continues to rise, prompting the Petroleum Dealers Association to seek government action.

An ANI report highlighted Sahu’s statement: “We are urging the government to reconsider the introduction of E20 fuel. Dealers are facing significant difficulties with the current E20 rollout. While the blend is capped at 10% in most countries worldwide, India has implemented a 20% blend.”

He further noted, “The vehicles here aren’t fully compatible with this type of fuel. This leads to issues like clogged carburettors and other mechanical failures. Customers at petrol pumps create a ruckus, even though the pump owners have no control over the situation. The government introduced the fuel, and we simply sell it. These problems only existed after the introduction of E20 petrol.”

Manufacturers assert that all new vehicles produced in India are compliant with E20 standards and can operate safely on E20 petrol. However, the rising complaints associated with ethanol-blended fuel are complicating matters for dealers, especially those serving customers with older vehicles.

Ethanol blending isn’t exclusive to India, as several other nations, including Brazil, the United States, and Thailand, also utilize ethanol-blended petrol to mitigate crude oil dependency. The government plans to further advance this transition by introducing E22, E25, and E30 petrol in the near future.