The government stated that the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme has been implemented through a phased, scientifically validated and consultative process involving NITI Aayog, automobile manufacturers, Oil Marketing Companies (OMC), the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) and other technical institutions.
The minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi stated in a written reply in Lok Sabha that the rollout of higher ethanol blends was undertaken only after extensive consultations with automobile manufacturers, SIAM, ARAI, component manufacturers, testing agencies and OMCs.
In the press release issued on Thursday, the government underlines that extensive laboratory studies and field trials conducted by ARAI, SIAM, IOCL, IIP and automobile manufacturers covering parameters such as engine durability, drivability, startability, corrosion resistance, material compatibility, emissions and fuel efficiency have confirmed that E20 is safe for use under prescribed standards. These studies also established that legacy vehicles do not exhibit any significant variation in performance or abnormal wear and tear due to E20.
MoPNG supported its statement by underscoring that 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. During this period, more than 20 crore two-wheelers and over 3 crore petrol cars have been operating on these blends without any verified evidence of widespread engine failure or vehicle breakdown attributable to ethanol blending.
The ministry further added that manufacturer service data confirm that there is no abnormal corrosion, wear or reduction in vehicle life due to E20 fuel with automakers continuing to honour warranty obligations for vehicles using the fuel.
Moreover, SIAM and ARAI have also stated that E20 improves acceleration and ride quality while reducing carbon emissions. Ethanol's higher-octane number supports modern high-compression engines and its higher heat of vaporisation improves combustion efficiency, according to the issued press release.
