E20 Petrol Saga: Will Owners Of New Cars Be Affected Or Older Cars?

Many car makers had started rolling out E20 compatible cars way earlier and all cars made after April 1, 2023 are compatible while some before that too

Vehicles made after 2012 and before 2023 are E10 compliant and that's where the issue lies as per social media with users reporting a slight mileage drop using E20 fuel

Source : Somnath Chatterjee

E20 petrol is being talked about a lot and here we will address some of the common questions. E20 petrol is basically petrol blended with 20 percent ethanol as the name suggests and it is done to lower our oil bill which is huge and being better for the environment. Till now E10 fuel has been widely used but now E20 is taking over hence raising a lot of questions.

New Cars Are Safe

Many car makers had started rolling out E20 compatible cars way earlier and all cars made after April 1, 2023 are compatible while some before that too. Hence, if your car is new and made after this date then you need not worry. However, you can check the fuel recommendation on your car in the car manual.

What If My Car Is Older?

Vehicles made after 2012 and before 2023 are E10 compliant and that's where the issue lies as per social media with users reporting a slight mileage drop using E20 fuel. ARAI says a small mileage drop would be there but no wear and tear. Simply put, putting E20 fuel in your car will not outright damage your car instantly but long-term wear and tear can occur. This also depends on the age of your car, hence, use of additives is recommended or a higher octane fuel which does not have ethanol although that is much more expensive. Ethanol is corrosive and that's the main issue.

What About The Warranty?

This is a tricky issue and Toyota for example has said that engine damage on not using recommended fuel will void the warranty.

What Are The Solutions?

Flexibility in providing E10 fuel with E20 to smoothen the shift should be there else making E10 cars E20 ready should also be done. Some carmakers could be offering E20 upgrade solutions but it is more complex than you think.