'These Days, I'm Scared...': YouTuber Sourav Joshi Claims His Mercedes Mileage Fell To 5 km/L After Using Ethanol-Blended Petrol

Indian YouTuber Sourav Joshi claims his Mercedes mileage dropped from 16-17 km/L to 5 km/L after using ethanol-blended petrol, sparking a social media debate over E20 fuel.

Sourav Joshi claims his Mercedes' fuel efficiency dropped sharply after using ethanol-blended petrol, prompting widespread debate online.

Source : X/@mohitlaws

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Sourav Joshi claims Mercedes mileage dropped sharply using E20 fuel.
• Joshi observed mileage decline, worsening significantly to just 5km/L.
• Joshi concerned about poor fuel quality damaging expensive vehicles.
• Social media divided, debating E20 and car fuel requirements.

A claim made by vlogger Sourav Joshi has gone viral across social media. The YouTuber says his Mercedes, which previously returned 16-17 km/L, is now delivering just 5 km/L after running on ethanol-blended petrol. The statement has triggered fresh conversations online, with users debating E20 fuel, fuel quality and possible reasons behind the sharp decline in mileage.

Sourav Joshi Says Mercedes Mileage Fell Sharply

In his latest vlog, Joshi talked about how he first noticed an unusual decline in the vehicle's mileage shortly after refuelling. He said the car's estimated driving range had also fallen significantly compared with what he had seen earlier.

"A problem has come up, the car isn’t giving mileage. Earlier it used to give a good mileage, around 15–16, and now it’s showing 9. I got the petrol filled just yesterday, and even then the fuel has gone down so much. Earlier, on a full tank, it used to show a range of around 808, and now it’s showing 480. So the mileage is definitely not there. I just hope no other issue comes up. It’s a Mercedes after all. These days, I’m scared even while filling petrol."

The YouTuber later shared another update, saying the situation had worsened further after his initial observation.

"Yesterday I told you that our car’s mileage had dropped from 17 straight to 9. And today, do you know how much it has become? It has gone down to 5."

I am scared to fill ethanol-blended petrol in my car. My Mercedes used to give 16–17 km/l mileage, but now it’s dropped to 5. My car will be ruined soon.

—India’s biggest vlogger, Saurav Joshi pic.twitter.com/IQgSgogFHm

— Mohit Chauhan (@mohitlaws) July 12, 2026

Vlogger Expresses Concern Over Fuel Quality

As the vlog continued, Joshi said he had become increasingly anxious whenever he stopped to refuel. Referring to reports of fuel adulteration, he questioned whether poor-quality fuel could end up damaging expensive vehicles.

He said, "These days I’m actually scared while filling petrol, wondering if the car might get damaged, because a lot of people’s vehicles are getting spoiled due to fuel adulteration. Anyway, it’s a good thing I bought the electric G-Wagon instead of the petrol one. Petrol would have cost a lot more, and if the car got damaged, the repair bill would have been huge too."

Social Media Divided Over Viral Claim

The viral clip prompted thousands of reactions across social media, with some users backing Joshi's concerns while others remained sceptical.

One user wrote, "People used to get gold from Dubai. Now people will get petrol from Dubai."

Another referred to previous public discussions around ethanol-blended fuel, commenting, "Few weeks ago, Nitin Gadkari gave an interview challenging people: 'Show me a real-life case; those saying this online are anti-national. Well, @nitin_gadkari, here is your 'real-life case.' I present India's top vlogger, Saurav Joshi. He is reporting that ethanol-blended petrol has destroyed his car's mileage (dropping from 16-17 km/l to 5 km/l)."

Others questioned whether the fuel being used was suitable for a luxury vehicle.

"Who fill regular petrol in Mercedes ? Vlogger, hungry for views, shares and comments....Even Mercedes-Benz strictly recommends using premium unleaded petrol (at least 95 RON to 98 RON)."

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