E20 Explained
Start here

Your car has been running on E20 for over two years.

Here is what E20 is, what it means for you, and where the facts come from. Every number on this site links to its source.

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For example: mileage, old car, price, E85, water.

What does this mean for me?

Six quick answers to the things people ask most.
What E20 actually isAnd why it is in your tank My mileageThe real number, with the test behind it My older vehicleCars and bikes made before 2023 What it costs meWhy petrol is not cheaper, and what blending does instead The environmentEmissions and water, with the honest trade-offs What comes after E20E85, flex fuel, and whether you need to do anything

Common questions

Each answer has five parts: the worry, a straight answer, the evidence, what is being done, and the source.

Does E20 reduce my mileage?

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Is E20 safe for my older car or bike?

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If ethanol is cheaper, why is petrol not cheaper?

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Is ethanol taking food away to make fuel?

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Does ethanol use too much water?

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Is ethanol actually cleaner than petrol?

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See all questions

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What the service records show

Numbers from car makers and the government.
2.84 crorevehicles serviced by one car maker in 2025-26
1.5 croreof those were made before E20 and never certified for it
ZeroE20 related damage found in that service data
2.5 yearsthat E20 has already been in your tank
IndustryRahul Bharti, Maruti Suzuki, car makers press conference, 4 July 2026

Podcasts

Long recorded talks, 25 to 40 minutes each, where a host asks an expert about one part of the E20 subject.
01

How ethanol is made, and what it does inside an engine

Abinash Verma on what ethanol is made from, what octane does, and the claims about engine damage.The Tatva. Watch on YouTube
02

Where does your Rs. 115 actually go?

Dr Nilanjan Banik on what makes up the price of petrol, and why petrol costs more in Pakistan and Bangladesh.The Logical Indian. Watch on YouTube

All podcasts

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Short videos in your language

One to two minute clips cut from the podcasts. Pick your language at the top of the page.

Reality of E20, part 1

The Tatva. Instagram

Reality of E20, part 2

The Tatva. Instagram

Reality of E20, short

The Tatva. YouTube Shorts

You decide: E20 myths

The Logical Indian. Instagram

What the car companies and experts say

Senior people from car makers and industry, each answering one question on camera.
Is my older car safe?

"We tested pre-2023 cars on E20 and found nothing of concern."

Rahul Bharti, Maruti Suzuki

All videos

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Government press releases

Official documents about ethanol blending, listed by date. Open any one.
05 Jul 2026

Ethanol blending in India: policy evolution and key milestones

Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Open
10 Jul 2026

Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme: questions and answers

Press Information Bureau
Open

See all releases

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Questions and answers

Pick a question. Each answer says what the worry is, gives a straight answer, shows the evidence, says what is being done, and lists the source.

The six most asked

What is E20?

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Does E20 reduce my mileage?

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Will E20 damage my older car or bike?

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If ethanol is cheaper, why is petrol not cheaper?

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Is ethanol taking food away to make fuel?

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Does ethanol use too much water?

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Is ethanol actually cleaner than petrol?

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← All questions

What is E20?

The worry

Many people first heard the word E20 during the arguments this year, and assumed it was something new put into their petrol.

Straight answer
E20 is petrol with 20 percent ethanol mixed in. It has been the standard petrol across India since April 2026, and fuel very close to it has been in your tank for over two years.
Ethanol is an alcohol made from crops such as sugarcane, maize and surplus grain.
The evidence

Blending began in India as a pilot in 2001. It was about 1.5 percent in 2013-14 and rose in steps to 20 percent in 2025. More than 20 crore two wheelers and 3 crore cars have been running on E19 to E20 for over two and a half years.

Why India does this

India imports close to 88.5 percent of the crude oil it uses. Every litre of ethanol is a litre not bought from abroad at a price set elsewhere. The programme has three stated aims: energy security, income for farmers, and lower emissions.

Sources

5 Jul 2026MinistryFactsheet on ethanol blending in IndiaOpen
30 Jul 2026MinistryStatement laid before Lok Sabha on E20
← All questions

Does E20 reduce my mileage?

The worry

Many drivers report lower mileage after the switch, and the worry is reasonable. Ethanol carries about two thirds the energy of petrol by volume. The NITI Aayog roadmap itself said vehicles would need to be adjusted for E20.

Straight answer
Yes, a little. About 1 to 2 percent if your vehicle is built for E20, and 3 to 6 percent if it is not.
On a car doing 20 km a litre, that is roughly 0.6 km. The 30 percent figure being shared online is a lab number for energy, not what happens on the road.
The evidence
Built for E20
1 to 2%
Not built for E20
3 to 6%
ARAI tests, cars 3 to 10 years old
2 to 6%
The viral claim
30%
ARAI tested vehicles chosen together with the car companies, some of them ten years old, in a laboratory under controlled conditions. Maruti Suzuki's own service estimate is about 0.6 km on a 20 km a litre car.
What is being done

Vehicles made from April 2023 are built and adjusted for E20. From April 2026, petrol must have an octane rating of at least 95, and that higher octane makes up for part of the lower energy by burning the fuel better.

Sources

4 Jul 2026ARAIPress conference on E20 testing, Pune. The testing body.Open
31 Jul 2026MinistryTechnical note on E20 and vehicle mileage
Jun 2021NITI AayogRoadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020-25Open
4 Jul 2026IndustryRahul Bharti, Maruti Suzuki, service estimateOpen
← All questions

Will E20 damage my older car or bike?

The worry

Real, and the government's own documents say so. The NITI Aayog roadmap flagged that some materials may not suit ethanol. ARAI's 2021 tests found certain rubber and plastic parts wore faster in E20 than in E10, in a laboratory.

Straight answer
No widespread pattern of engine damage has appeared. More than 20 crore two wheelers and 3 crore cars have run on E19 to E20 for over two and a half years.
If ethanol damaged engines, it would show first in two wheelers, which have simpler engines. It has not.
The evidence

Maruti Suzuki serviced 2.84 crore vehicles in 2025-26. More than 1.5 crore of them were over three years old and never certified for E20. No E20 related damage was found. Hero MotoCorp found no higher damage in its two wheeler service data. ARAI found no significant effect on the eight metals it tested.

What is being done

Vehicles made from April 2023 use materials that suit E20, which covers the parts the 2021 tests flagged. For older vehicles, SIAM has confirmed that warranties are honoured for vehicles using proper E20.

Sources

Jun 2021NITI AayogRoadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020-25Open
2021ARAIMaterials testing for E20
4 Jul 2026IndustryCar makers press conference: Maruti Suzuki, Hero MotoCorpOpen
2026IndustrySIAM statement on warranties
← All questions

If ethanol is cheaper, why is petrol not cheaper?

The worry

Real, and it comes from a real document. When the NITI Aayog roadmap was written in 2020-21, ethanol was cheaper than petrol, and people expected that to reach the pump.

Straight answer
It is not cheaper any more. Ethanol now costs more to buy than the petrol it replaces. The programme was never meant to make petrol cheaper.
It was meant to make India less dependent on someone else's price. Those are different things, and only one was promised.
The evidence

The roadmap's three stated aims were energy security, farm income and lower emissions. Lower pump prices were not among them. What blending does deliver showed up in 2026. Global crude rose 70 to 80 percent between February and July. Domestic fuel prices rose 7 to 8 percent. Petrol held at Rs. 94.77 in Delhi against a possible market price of about Rs. 125. Ethanol, bought at about Rs. 70 a litre, is one fifth of every litre and does not move with crude.

What is being done

The programme continues on its original aims. This site does not claim a price saving that does not exist.

Sources

Jun 2021NITI AayogRoadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020-25Open
30 Jul 2026MinistryStatement laid before Lok Sabha on E20 pricing
Jul 2026PIBEthanol Blended Petrol Programme, questions and answersOpen
← All questions

Is ethanol taking food away to make fuel?

The worry

Real. Sending sugarcane juice and some molasses to ethanol does reduce how much sugar is made, and sugar prices have risen. This is a real trade-off, not a myth.

Straight answer
Food comes first by rule. Only surplus rice, after the country's food needs are met, goes to ethanol. And most of India's ethanol no longer comes from sugarcane.
Grain, mostly maize, now supplies about two thirds of it.
The evidence

In the supply year to June 2026, grain supplied about 67 percent of India's ethanol and sugarcane about 33 percent. Maize was the single largest source at 258 crore litres. Sugar imports have happened under successive governments, not only since blending grew.

What is being done

The policy favours maize and surplus grain over cane. Ethanol from crop waste such as paddy straw is being developed, with five plants set up, so that fuel comes from waste rather than from food.

Sources

Jul 2026PIBEthanol Blended Petrol Programme, questions and answersOpen
Jun 2026IndustryAll India Distillers Association, ethanol supply dataOpen
2018MinistryNational Policy on Biofuels
← All questions

Does ethanol use too much water?

The worry

Real for sugarcane, and the government's own roadmap says so. The NITI Aayog roadmap estimates about 2,860 litres of water for every litre of ethanol made from sugar, and notes that sugarcane and paddy together use around 70 percent of India's irrigation water.

Straight answer
Making the ethanol itself uses 3 to 5 litres of water per litre. The big number is the crop, not the plant. That is why the roadmap said to move away from cane, and India has done that.
Grain is now two thirds of the feedstock, and maize needs much less water than cane.
The evidence
Water used at the plant, per litre
3 to 5 litres
Water to grow the sugar, per litre
About 2,860 litres
Modern plants run Zero Liquid Discharge, which means no waste water is released. The crop figure is the roadmap's own estimate for sugar based ethanol.
What is being done

In 2021 the roadmap recommended sourcing ethanol from crops that need less water, and promoting maize and ethanol from crop waste. Five plants are being set up to make ethanol from paddy straw and bamboo rather than from a food crop.

Sources

Jun 2021NITI AayogRoadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020-25Open
Jul 2026PIBEthanol Blended Petrol Programme, questions and answersOpen
Jun 2026IndustryAll India Distillers Association, ethanol supply dataOpen
← All questions

Is ethanol actually cleaner than petrol?

The worry

Fair to ask. Growing the crop, running the plant and moving the fuel all produce emissions, so the answer depends on how the ethanol is made.

Straight answer
Yes, when you count everything from field to tank. Around 40 percent lower emissions than plain petrol for E20, with the benefit varying by crop and by region.
About 952 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide have been avoided since 2014-15.
The evidence

Independent studies of sugarcane ethanol find a reduction of around 60 percent before land use effects. The biggest sources of emissions are fertiliser on the field, farm energy and transport. Indian studies find the benefit is higher in the west than the north because of farming intensity and distance to the plants.

What is being done

Zero Liquid Discharge at modern plants. A move towards grain and crop waste as the source, which shifts the balance further.

Sources

31 Jul 2026MinistryTechnical note on E20 and vehicle mileage
2023StudyArgonne National Laboratory, lifecycle analysis of ethanol
2025StudyObserver Research Foundation, lifecycle analysis for India

How India got to E20, step by step

E20 did not start this year. It took 25 years. Every step below links to the government release for that year.

2001
Ethanol blending begins as a trial
The first trials of ethanol in petrol in India.
Ministry factsheet
2003
The Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme is launched
The programme gets its name and its first formal shape.
Ministry
2006
Fuel retailers told to sell a 5 percent blend
Across 20 states and 4 union territories.
Ministry
Jan 2013
Blending policy published in the Gazette
Blending is about 1.5 percent. India can make about 421 crore litres, almost all from sugarcane.
Gazette. Ministry factsheet
2014-15
The E20 study begins
The Ministry of Heavy Industries pays for ARAI, IIP and IOCL to test a 20 percent blend on vehicles. Nine years before the first E20 pump.
Ministry of Heavy Industries
May 2018
National Policy on Biofuels
Sets a 20 percent target for 2030. Allows more crops to be used: maize, surplus and damaged grain, and sugar syrup. In July the same year, loans for ethanol plants are made cheaper and GST on ethanol is cut from 18 to 5 percent.
Cabinet. PIB
Dec 2020
Target moved forward to 2025
The Cabinet decides on 21 December to bring the 20 percent target forward from 2030. A committee is set up on 26 December to look at vehicle compatibility and mileage.
CCEA. NITI Aayog
Jun 2021
NITI Aayog Roadmap 2020-25
An expert committee sets out the path to E20, including vehicle adjustment and which crops to use.
NITI Aayog
May 2022
The policy is formally updated
The 2025 target is written into the National Policy on Biofuels.
Cabinet. PIB
Jun 2022
E10 reached, five months early
10 percent blending reached across the country.
PIB
Feb 2023
E20 launched at 84 pumps
Across 11 states and union territories, at India Energy Week in Bengaluru.
PIB
Apr 2023
New vehicles built for E20
Car makers start making vehicles with materials that suit E20.
SIAM
2025
20 percent reached, five years early
PIB
Apr 2026
E20 becomes the standard petrol across India
Petrol must have an octane rating of at least 95.
Ministry
Jun 2026
E85 starts at 48 pumps
For flex fuel vehicles only. See the E20 and E85 page.
PIB

India first had to build the factories

Before India could put more ethanol in petrol, it had to make more ethanol. This page shows how much India can make now, and what the ethanol is made from.

How much India can make, and how much it bought, in crore litres

2014
421
38
2019-20
684
173
2021-22
947
434
2024-25
1,650
900
2026
2,000
1,200
Can makeBought1,100 needed for E20
MinistryMinistry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. IndustryAll India Distillers Association, to June 2026

What ethanol is made from, and how that changed

Ethanol is no longer made only from sugarcane. The government has allowed more crops at each step.
Before 2018
Almost all from molasses, a sugar by-product
Supply was limited by how much sugar was made that year.
2018 policy
More crops are allowed
B-heavy molasses, sugarcane juice and syrup, damaged grain, surplus rice and maize are all permitted.
2025-26
More ethanol now comes from grain than from sugarcane
Grain supplies about 67 percent, cane about 33 percent. Maize is the single largest source at 258 crore litres.
Maize 37%Surplus rice 25%Damaged grain 6%Cane juice 20%B-heavy molasses 12%
Next
Ethanol from crop waste, not from crops
Made from paddy straw and bamboo instead of food crops. Five plants are being set up: Panipat, Bathinda, Bargarh, Numaligarh and Davangere.
MinistryNational Policy on Biofuels 2018. IndustryAll India Distillers Association, ESY 2025-26

Is my petrol being changed to E85?

E85 is a new fuel for some vehicles. This page explains the difference, and why your petrol is not changing.

No. E85 is a second fuel at a few pumps, for vehicles built to run on it. The petrol you buy today is E20 and it stays E20. Nothing changes for your car or bike unless you buy a flex fuel vehicle.
E20
What it is20 percent ethanol, 80 percent petrol
Who uses itEvery petrol vehicle. It is the standard petrol across India since April 2026
WhereAll 1 lakh plus pumps
Do I need to do anythingNo
E85
What it is80 to 85 percent ethanol, 14 to 19 percent petrol
Who uses itOnly flex fuel vehicles, built to run on E20 through E100
Where48 pumps from 5 June 2026, 500 by December 2026, about 5,000 by December 2027
Do I need to do anythingOnly if you buy a flex fuel vehicle
The evidence
E85 price, Delhi at launch
Rs. 82.12
E20 petrol, Delhi
Rs. 94.77
E85 is priced nearly Rs. 20 a litre below petrol. It also has less energy, so a flex fuel vehicle covers fewer kilometres per litre on it. The price gap is meant to make up for that.
Flex fuel cars today

The first production flex fuel car went on sale in June 2026, and three models were available at launch. The Bureau of Indian Standards has recognised E85 as a fuel standard for flex fuel vehicles.

Sources

5 Jun 2026PIBE85 rollout begins across 48 retail outletsOpen
Jun 2026PIBIndia's first flex fuel passenger vehicle launched
30 Jul 2026MinistryStatement to Lok Sabha on E20 pricing

Podcasts

These are long recorded talks, 25 to 40 minutes each. In each one, a host asks an expert about one part of the E20 subject. You can watch the full talk, or see short clips from it on the home page in your language.

01

How ethanol is made, and what it does inside an engine

Abinash Verma, former Director General, Indian Sugar Mills Association, on what ethanol is made from, what octane does, and the claims about engine damage.The Tatva. Watch on YouTube
02

Where does your Rs. 115 actually go?

Dr Nilanjan Banik, Professor and Head, Economic Policy Centre, Mahindra University, on what makes up the price of petrol, and why petrol costs more in Pakistan and Bangladesh.The Logical Indian. Watch on YouTube
03

What ethanol actually is, and where it comes from

Prof K K Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, on how the fuel is made, the water it really takes, and the videos that got it wrong.The Logical Indian. Watch on YouTube
04

India's oil bill, and what ethanol actually saves

Prof K S Sujit, Associate Professor of Economics, Christ University, Bangalore, on how much oil India buys from abroad, what that costs, and how to judge the saving from ethanol.The Logical Indian. Watch on YouTube
05

Ethanol did not start in June

Tushar Gandhi, Founder and CEO, Gateway Consulting, on India's 25 year journey with ethanol, the decade it spent stuck at 1.5 percent, and what E85 actually is.The Logical Indian. Watch on YouTube

Videos and news

Short videos and articles about E20. Some are from news publications. Some are car company leaders speaking on camera. Articles open on the website where they were published.

Short explainer videos

Two to three minute videos that explain one part of the subject.

How the world sees India's ethanol programme

The Logical Indian. Instagram

Did India rush into E20? The government release, explained

The Logical Indian. Instagram

What do international bodies say about E20?

Jist. Facebook

What the car companies and experts say

Recorded at the car makers' press conference on 4 July 2026. Each person answers one question.
Is my older car safe?

"We tested pre-2023 cars on E20 and found nothing of concern."

Rahul Bharti, Executive Director, Corporate Affairs, Maruti Suzuki
Is ethanol any good as a fuel?

Higher octane, better pickup, and the fuel Formula One runs on

Vikram Gulati, Country Head, Toyota Kirloskar Motor
Was this rushed through?

From 1.5 percent to 20 percent over twelve years, tested at every step

Vartika Shukla, Chairperson and Managing Director, Engineers India
Who actually gains?

What blending changes for a farmer in Punjab

Raja Singh, Farmer Leader, Kisan Bachao Morcha

Independent testing

Research done outside both the government and the car industry. Reported by the news publications below.

IIT Kanpur research finds no evidence of E20 damaging vehicle engines

Business Standard, 14 July 2026. The Engine Research Laboratory at IIT Kanpur, headed by Prof Avinash Kumar Agarwal, reported no engine damage and a mileage drop under 5 percent.
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No evidence E20 harms engines, says IIT Kanpur. Mileage drop less than 5 percent

Business Today, 14 July 2026
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IIT Kanpur says E20 petrol does not harm engine performance

The Federal, 15 July 2026. The institute called the social media damage claims scientifically unfounded.
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What the car industry said

Reported by news agencies and publications, not by the campaign.

India's carmakers say ethanol fuel hurts mileage but is safe

Reuters, 31 August 2025. P K Banerjee, Executive Director, SIAM: millions of vehicles are running on E20 and not a single engine failure has been reported.
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E20 fuel debate: experts say no scientific proof of engine damage

Autoguide India, 7 July 2026
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Experts bust myths on mileage, engine damage and ethanol's economic benefits

Open Magazine, 4 July 2026
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News coverage of the programme

Reports on what the programme has achieved, from news publications.

India achieves 20 percent ethanol blending in petrol, five years ahead of schedule

The Tribune, July 2025
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Ethanol blended petrol has saved over Rs. 1.40 lakh crore in foreign exchange

Deccan Herald. Reported from Lok Sabha Question Hour.
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Ethanol push: the Panipat plant turns rice straw into fuel

The Tribune, editorial. On the second generation plant using 2 lakh tonnes of rice straw a year.
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Ethanol success story now needs policy fine tuning

AgroSpectrum India, 1 February 2026
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India defends ethanol blending programme, addresses concerns over E20

DD News
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Articles

Opinion pieces on ethanol blending published elsewhere. These open on the publisher's website.

Scrutiny is not suspicion: India accelerates flex fuel push as blending passes its target

Dr Rajiv Kumar, former Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog. Economic Times
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Setting the record straight on India's fuel transition

C K Jain. The Hindu BusinessLine
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How a scheme for sugarcane farmers became a tool of Indian foreign policy

Prof Nilanjan Banik, Mahindra University. CNBC TV18
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Has India rushed into E20 petrol? Government clarifies viral claims

The Logical Indian
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Government press releases on ethanol blending

Official press releases, policy documents and factsheets, listed newest first. Each one opens the original document.