Govt Explores E10 Petrol Option Alongside E20 For Older Vehicles

The government has begun preliminary discussions with industry on whether E10 petrol could be made available alongside E20 for older vehicles, as concerns over the higher ethanol blend continue to fuel debate, as per a report by The Indian Express.

The discussions focus on offering a lower ethanol blend to motorists with older vehicles designed for E10.

The talks are at an early stage and cover technical and non-technical issues linked to fuel supply and retailing. No decision has been taken as of yet, the report said.

India reached its 20% ethanol blending target last year, five years ahead of the original deadline. However, E20 as the standard petrol grade has triggered concerns over mileage and suitability for older vehicles, particularly two-wheelers.

The government has maintained that E20 could reduce mileage in older vehicles by 3-5%, while rejecting claims that it can damage engine components.

In July, the Petroleum Ministry said multiple grades of base petrol would create logistical challenges and increase costs.

CEA Backs E10 Option With E20

The debate gained fresh momentum after Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran said that E10 should be restored as an option alongside E20.

"Restoring a lower blend at the pumps, say, E10, alongside the option to buy E20, would calm most public concern, lower total ethanol use instead of raising it, and protect the existing fleet while the retrofit programme catches up," Nageswaran wrote in an opinion piece published on Monday in The Indian Express.

Auto industry officials have said that vehicles manufactured after April 2023 are fully E20-compliant under BS6 Phase 2 norms. However, a large number of vehicles sold before that period were certified for E10.

In the National Capital Region, petrol vehicles can remain on the road for 15 years, meaning 2022 models could run until 2037, as per the report.

E10 Would Require Separate Infra

According to the report, the oil industry officials said that introducing E10 in large volumes would effectively mean creating a parallel supply chain. Most fuel stations use single or dual underground tanks, meaning additional storage and separate dispensers could be needed for E10.

Oil marketing companies would need separate blending, transportation and inventory systems for E10 and E20, while refineries and terminals would have to manage two blending processes and prevent cross-contamination.

The Petroleum Ministry has argued that multiple base petrol grades across more than one lakh retail outlets would complicate logistics, raise handling costs and reduce efficiency.