New Delhi: Researchers at IIT Kanpur have said that using E20 petrol—petrol blended with 20% ethanol—does not cause damage to vehicles, based on tests conducted at the institute.
The Union government has rolled out E20 fuel nationwide with the stated goals of protecting the environment and reducing crude oil import costs. However, unverified complaints about E20 performance have circulated on social media.
According to the IIT Kanpur team led by scientist Dhruv Raj Karana from the Engine Research Laboratory in the Mechanical Engineering Department, studies found that any reduction in fuel efficiency while using E20 is less than 5%. The team noted that such variation could also be influenced by driving style, road conditions, tyre pressure, traffic congestion and vehicle maintenance.
Karana said multi-stage, detailed tests showed E20 does not cause engine damage or increased wear. He added that social media claims about vehicle harm are not supported by scientific evidence and advised motorists to rely on guidance from vehicle manufacturers and the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
The institute also noted that a separate research group led by Professor Avinash Kumar Agarwal is continuing broader work on ethanol-blended fuels, including successful tests of fuel containing 85% ethanol, and has found no performance decline with E20.
