{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Toyota Kirloskar Motor's country head says E20 ethanol fuel won't harm your engine, addresses mileage fears",
  "summary": "Toyota Kirloskar Motor executive Vikram Gulati has dismissed claims that E20 fuel damages engines, saying vehicles only lose 2 to 4 percent mileage as per ARAI's tests.",
  "content": "For a while now, ethanol blended fuel has carried a bad reputation among vehicle owners in India. Many believe it can seize up an engine, and others fear it slashes fuel efficiency. Vikram Gulati, country head and executive vice president (corporate affairs and governance) at Toyota Kirloskar Motor, has now pushed back directly against both claims, saying social media and sections of the automobile industry have spread far more fear around E20 fuel than the facts actually support.\n\nGulati said several misconceptions have taken root around ethanol blended fuel, and singled out one in particular, the widespread belief that using E20 blended fuel ruins a car's engine. He called this notion entirely false, stating plainly that no such damage occurs.\n\nDoes E20 fuel really cut into mileage?\nGulati also addressed the second major myth, that E20 fuel causes a drastic drop in mileage. He acknowledged that there is a technical dip in mileage, but said it is nowhere near as severe as the market chatter suggests. He pointed to tests run by the Automotive Research Association of India, or ARAI, in 2021, before E20 was rolled out nationwide, which found that ethanol blended petrol brings only a marginal 2 to 4 percent reduction in vehicle mileage.\n\nShould owners of older vehicles worry?\nAccording to Gulati, vehicle owners, whether they drive an older car or a brand new one, have nothing to worry about. E20 is now the standard fuel available across the country, and it works perfectly well for both old and new vehicles. He noted that every vehicle sold in India after April 1, 2023, has already been built to be fully E20 compatible. He added that a study by the government-run scientific body ARAI has also established that the potential damage E20 fuel could cause to older two wheelers and four wheelers is extremely minor.\n\nWhy E85 and E100 are a different story altogether\nGulati was careful to draw a line between E20 and higher ethanol blends. He explained that E85, which contains 85 percent ethanol, and E100, which is pure ethanol, are not meant for ordinary cars or bikes. These blends are designed exclusively for vehicles built with special flex fuel technology, which can run on ethanol in virtually any proportion.\n\nThe economic payoff of the ethanol blending push\nGulati also highlighted the economic benefits of the ethanol blending programme. Citing government data, he said the initiative has helped India save close to 1.9 lakh crore rupees in foreign exchange that would otherwise have gone toward crude oil imports. Of that total saving, 1.60 lakh crore rupees has flowed directly into the pockets of Indian farmers. He said ethanol has become a powerful tool for strengthening the rural economy and boosting farmer incomes, a model that several other developed nations are now adopting as well.\n\nWhat this means for you\nThis directly concerns the millions of vehicle owners who fill up petrol every day.\n\n• Across India: E20 is now the standard petrol available nationwide, so every driver should know that it poses no risk to the engine and only causes a marginal 2 to 4 percent dip in mileage.\n• For older vehicle owners: Those driving vehicles bought before April 1, 2023 can also take comfort from the fact that a government study found only minimal impact on such vehicles.\n• For farmers: The ethanol blending programme has channelled 1.60 lakh crore rupees directly to farmers so far, showing it is playing a direct role in boosting rural income.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. Does using E20 fuel damage a car's engine?\nNo, according to Toyota Kirloskar Motor's Vikram Gulati, this is a completely false belief and E20 fuel causes no engine damage.\n\n2. How much does E20 fuel affect a vehicle's mileage?\nPer ARAI's 2021 tests, E20 fuel causes only a marginal 2 to 4 percent reduction in vehicle mileage.\n\n3. Is it safe to use E20 fuel in older vehicles?\nYes, an ARAI study has shown that the potential damage E20 fuel could cause to older two wheelers and four wheelers is extremely minor.\n\n4. Are all new vehicles built to run on E20 fuel?\nYes, every vehicle sold in India after April 1, 2023 has been made fully E20 compatible.\n\n5. Who can use E85 and E100 fuel?\nVikram Gulati said E85 and E100 are meant only for vehicles with special flex fuel technology, not ordinary cars or bikes.\n\n6. How much has India benefited from the ethanol blending programme so far?\nGovernment data shows the initiative has saved India close to 1.9 lakh crore rupees in foreign exchange, of which 1.60 lakh crore rupees has gone directly to farmers.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/auto/ethenola-mishrita-petrola-se-darane-ki-jarurata-nahin-toyota-kirloskar-motor-ke-adhikari-ne-ginae-e20-ke-phayade-4535",
  "category": "Auto",
  "publishedAt": "2026-07-04",
  "tags": [
    "E20 fuel",
    "ethanol blended petrol",
    "Toyota Kirloskar Motor",
    "Vikram Gulati",
    "car mileage",
    "ethanol blending"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}