The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, through Minister of State Shri Suresh Gopi, provided a comprehensive update on India's Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme in a written reply to Lok Sabha. The government clarified that no decision has been taken to increase ethanol blending with petrol beyond the current 20% level, and any future decision regarding higher ethanol blends will require detailed scientific and technical studies and consultations with all relevant stakeholders, including automobile manufacturers, Oil Marketing Companies, and research institutions.
E85 fuel (containing 85% ethanol and 15% petrol) has been introduced exclusively for use in Flex Fuel Vehicles designed and certified for such fuel, but this does not constitute an increase in the nationwide base ethanol blending level. The achievement of 20% ethanol blending was reached five years ahead of the original target, marking the culmination of over two decades of phased policy development, stakeholder consultations, scientific evaluation, and capacity creation.
The document provides detailed ethanol blending percentages achieved over recent years: approximately 12% in 2022-23, 14.6% in 2023-24, 19.2% in 2024-25, and exactly 20% for the period November 2025 to June 2026. Extensive scientific studies, field validation, and real-world operating experience have demonstrated that E20 is a safe, cleaner, and technologically superior fuel when used according to prescribed specifications and manufacturer recommendations.
E15+ blended petrol has been in widespread use for over three-and-a-half years, and E19-E20 fuel for over two-and-a-half years. More than 20 crore two-wheelers and over 3 crore petrol cars have operated on these blends without any verified evidence of widespread engine failure or vehicle breakdown attributable to ethanol blending. Manufacturer service data confirm no abnormal corrosion, wear, or reduction in vehicle life due to E20 fuel, with manufacturers continuing to honor warranty obligations for vehicles using E20 fuel.
Specific data from manufacturers includes one passenger vehicle manufacturer servicing 2.84 crore vehicles during FY 2025-26, including approximately 1.5 crore older, non-E20-certified vehicles, without reporting any E20-related engine damage or abnormal component wear. Leading two-wheeler manufacturers similarly reported no higher incidence of damage in vehicles operating on E20 compared with earlier fuel blends based on extensive service records.
The government has not received widespread or substantiated complaints regarding drastic reduction in mileage, slow pick-up, or rusting of petrol tanks attributable to E20 fuel. Studies indicate any reduction in fuel economy in certain E10-designed vehicles is generally limited to about 3-5%, while E20 offers a higher-octane rating, superior anti-knock characteristics, cleaner combustion, and smoother engine performance. According to SIAM and ARAI, E20 improves acceleration and ride quality while reducing carbon emissions.
The transition to E20 has delivered significant national benefits: saving over ₹1.97 lakh crore in foreign exchange, substituting nearly 316 lakh metric tonnes of crude oil, reducing around 952 lakh metric tonnes of CO₂ emissions, and transferring over ₹1.66 lakh crore to farmers. Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies have established robust consumer grievance redressal mechanisms through multiple channels including retail outlet registers, toll-free numbers, company websites, mobile applications, CRM systems, social media, email, and CPGRAMS.