E20 Fuel Faces Backlash: Survey Finds Mileage Drop and Higher Maintenance Costs
Brief By Newsbrief / 10:49 AM on 07 Jul 2026
A nationwide survey has highlighted growing concerns among petrol vehicle owners over India's transition to E20 fuel, with many reporting lower fuel efficiency and higher maintenance costs. The survey, conducted by LocalCircles, covered 22,567 petrol vehicle owners across 316 districts.
According to the findings, 53% of respondents rated the implementation of E20 petrol by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas as either "very poor" or "ineffective." Of these, 42% described the rollout as "very poor," while only 13% gave it a positive rating.
The biggest concerns came from owners of petrol vehicles manufactured before 2023. Around 66% of them claimed their vehicles now deliver more than 10% lower mileage after switching to E20 fuel. Additionally, 45% reported increased maintenance expenses due to component wear and repair issues linked to higher ethanol content.
The survey also found that consumers are not opposed to ethanol blending itself but want fuel choices. Nearly 31% of owners of older petrol vehicles said they would willingly pay more for E0 or E10 petrol if those options remained available, believing they are better suited to their vehicles.
The central government, however, continues to defend the ethanol blending programme, saying it reduces India's dependence on imported crude oil, lowers emissions, strengthens energy security and supports farmers by increasing demand for ethanol.
The report noted that most petrol vehicles manufactured before April 2023 were designed for E10 fuel, while models produced after April 2025 are fully E20-compliant. Converting older vehicles to handle E20 may require replacing parts of the fuel system, increasing ownership costs.
Industry body ISMA also revealed that a flex-fuel conversion kit has shown promising test results for older BS4 and BS6 vehicles, with locally manufactured versions expected to cost around ₹20,000 if approved.