E20 petrol backlash grows: 53% of vehicle owners call rollout 'disastrous', 66% report mileage drop, survey finds

Just over a year after India achieved nationwide availability of E20 petrol in April 2025—meeting its target of 20% ethanol blending six years ahead of the original 2030 deadline—public opinion on the implementation of the programme has turned increasingly critical.

A survey conducted by LocalCircles found that 53% of petrol vehicle owners described the Road Transport and Petroleum Ministries' handling of the E20 rollout as either "disastrous" or "ineffective", with 42% calling it outright "disastrous". By comparison, only 13% of respondents gave the government's handling a positive rating.

The survey also revealed widespread concerns over fuel efficiency and vehicle performance. Around 66% of respondents said their vehicles' mileage had dropped by more than 10% after switching to E20 petrol, while 31% said they would prefer the option of using E0 or E10 fuel again, even if it came at a higher price.

The government, however, has consistently defended the ethanol blending programme. Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has maintained that the impact of E20 on fuel efficiency is minimal, dismissed much of the criticism circulating online as a "make-believe narrative", and clarified that vehicle insurance coverage is unaffected by the transition to the blended fuel.

Regulatory changes have continued alongside the rollout. From April 1, 2026, all E20 petrol sold in the country must comply with a minimum Research Octane Number (RON) of 95 to improve combustion stability and minimise engine knocking. In May 2026, the Bureau of Indian Standards also notified IS 19850:2026, establishing specifications for ethanol blends ranging from E22 to E30, with effect from May 15.

India's E20 petrol rollout faces growing consumer scrutiny

For now, the government's roadmap remains focused on E20 until October 31, 2026. Any decision to introduce higher ethanol blends will be taken after the Inter-Ministerial Committee submits its report and consultations with stakeholders are completed.

Appearing before the Supreme Court in July 2026, the Centre said ethanol blending remains an evolving programme whose long-term impact is expected to become clearer by 2027, while rejecting claims that the initiative is merely experimental. Nevertheless, a noticeable gap continues to exist between official assessments and consumer experiences.

While the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) estimates that E20 results in only a 1-6% reduction in fuel efficiency, several independent real-world studies have reported mileage losses of 8-12% in older vehicles, many of which were never designed to operate on E20 fuel. Nearly 300 million such vehicles remain on Indian roads.

53% of petrol vehicle owners rate E20 rollout negatively, survey finds

The LocalCircles survey asked petrol vehicle owners how they rated the ministries' handling of the E20 rollout.

Among 22,567 respondents, 42% described the implementation as "disastrous", while 5% called it "very ineffective" and another 6% rated it "quite ineffective". Together, these responses accounted for 53% of all participants expressing a negative opinion.

Only 13% of respondents approve of the government's E20 implementation

On the other hand, only 2% rated the rollout as "superb", 3% considered it "very effective" and 8% described it as "quite effective", taking the total positive response to just 13%. Meanwhile, 19% termed the rollout "average", while 15% said they were unable to comment, according to the survey findings.

The results indicate that negative opinions outweigh positive ones by roughly four to one, suggesting a significant disconnect between the government's messaging and the experiences reported by motorists.

66% of motorists report over 10% mileage loss after switching to E20 petrol

The dissatisfaction is also reflected in practical ownership concerns. According to the survey, 66% of owners of petrol vehicles manufactured before 2023 reported a decline in fuel efficiency exceeding 10% after switching to E20 fuel, up sharply from 45% in a similar survey conducted a month earlier.

In addition, 45% said they had experienced a moderate to significant increase in engine wear, maintenance requirements or repair costs.

Many vehicle owners want E0 and E10 petrol back despite higher prices

Notably, nearly one-third of respondents said they would be willing to pay more for the option to use E0 or E10 petrol again, indicating that concerns extend beyond perception and are rooted in operating costs and vehicle reliability, LocalCircles said.

NITI Aayog had warned of fuel efficiency losses before E20 rollout

Critics argue that these concerns had been identified well before the nationwide rollout. In its June 2021 report, Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020–25, NITI Aayog had estimated that four-wheelers originally designed for E0 and calibrated for E10 could experience a 6-7% drop in fuel efficiency, while two-wheelers could see a decline of 3-4%.

The report also recommended that ethanol-blended fuel be sold at a lower price than conventional petrol to compensate for its lower energy content and that fuel suitable for older vehicles should continue to remain available. However, neither recommendation has been implemented, with E20 currently retailing at the same price as regular petrol across the country.