Questions about whether E20 petrol, the fuel blended with 20 percent ethanol, is damaging car engines have been circulating widely on social media over the past few days. The volume of these claims grew large enough that the government stepped in directly to answer public concerns. Now, top executives from the auto industry and the energy sector have also weighed in, aiming to clear up the confusion surrounding E20 petrol.
Maruti Suzuki says the claims are mostly myths, not facts
Rahul Bharti, Executive Officer at Maruti Suzuki, said that most of what circulates about E20 petrol on social media is myth rather than fact. According to him, Maruti Suzuki is now building all its vehicles specifically to run on E20 petrol, meaning the company's cars are already engineered for this fuel. He reiterated that petrol blended with 20 percent ethanol causes no harm to a car's engine. On the question of mileage, Bharti acknowledged that using E20 petrol leads to a minor drop of around 3 percent in a vehicle's mileage, but he added that the fuel brings several other benefits that offset this small dip.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor calls it essential for future generations
Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice President at Toyota Kirloskar Motor, also backed E20 petrol. He said the automobile industry regularly has to adapt to new regulations, and E20 should be seen in that context. According to Gulati, E20 is a better, cleaner fuel for the environment. He said that at a time when the world faces numerous environmental challenges, this fuel will prove important for future generations, since it also helps cut carbon emissions.
EIL's former chairman traces the full history of ethanol blending
Vartika Shukla, former Chairman and Managing Director of Engineers India Limited (EIL), explained the issue with a historical perspective. She said that ethanol blending in petrol was not introduced overnight. According to her, only 1.5 percent ethanol was being blended into petrol back in 2014-15, a figure that has now risen to 20 percent. Shukla stressed that this blending of ethanol into petrol is based entirely on scientific grounds. She said it will not only cut carbon emissions but also reduce the country's dependence on crude oil imports. She pointed out that countries such as Canada, the United States and Brazil have been using ethanol for many years already. The former chairman also clarified that the ethanol blending in petrol conforms to established standards.
Government has already addressed the concerns
It's worth noting that amid the growing claims and questions about E20 petrol on social media, the government had already stepped in to answer people's concerns. With these auto industry and energy sector veterans now adding their voice, the confusion surrounding E20 petrol is expected to ease considerably.
