MUMBAI, July 4 (Reuters): Indian government and auto industry officials on Saturday defended the mandatory rollout of petrol blended with 20% ethanol, saying years of testing and service data showed no evidence of widespread vehicle damage, despite public concerns over lower fuel efficiency and engine safety.
The fuel, known as E20, has faced rising criticism on social media in recent days, with motorists questioning whether older vehicles designed for lower ethanol blends could suffer corrosion, wear or reduced performance.
Automakers including Maruti Suzuki, Hero MotorCorp and Toyota Kirloskar Motor said even older vehicles can run safely on E20. Maruti Suzuki, India's largest carmaker, said it had serviced more than 15 million older cars over the past two years that were not certified for E20 and found no fuel-related problems.
India's auto industry defends ethanol fuel mandate
FE Team | Published: July 04, 2026 22:35:08
India's auto industry defends ethanol fuel mandate
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