Govt says no assessment done on number of vehicles in country fully compatible with E20 fuel

The government on Monday informed Parliament that no assessment has been carried out on the percentage of vehicles in the country that are currently fully compatible with E20 fuelReplying to a query which seeks to know whether the government had assessed the percentage of vehicles in the country that are fully compatible with E20 fuel the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said no such assessment has been undertakenMinistry of Heavy Industries MHI have informed that no such assessment has been done by them the minister repliedThe minister however said 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 OMCs the Automotive Research Association of India ARAI the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers SIAM the Indian Institute of Petroleum IIP and other technical institutionsThe government said extensive laboratory studies and field trials conducted by ARAI SIAM IOCL IIP and automobile manufacturers covering engine durability drivability startability corrosion resistance material compatibility emissions and fuel efficiency have confirmed that E20 fuel is safe for use under prescribed standardsIt added that studies established that legacy vehicles do not exhibit any significant variation in performance or abnormal wear and tear due to E20According to the reply E15 petrol has been in widespread use for over threeandahalf years while E19E20 fuel has been used for more than twoandahalf years During this period more than 20 crore twowheelers and over 3 crore petrol cars have operated on these fuel blends without any verified evidence of widespread engine failure or vehicle breakdown attributable to ethanol blendingThe government further said manufacturer service data show no abnormal corrosion wear or reduction in vehicle life due to E20 fuel while vehicle manufacturers continue to honour warranty obligations for vehicles using E20On fuel efficiency the reply said any reduction in mileage in certain vehicles originally designed for E10 petrol is generally limited to about 35 per cent while E20 offers a higher octane rating cleaner combustion improved acceleration and lower emissionsCiting industry data the government said a leading automobile manufacturer serviced 284 crore vehicles during FY 202526 including around 15 crore vehicles not originally certified as E20compatible and reported no E20linked corrosion abnormal wear or reduction in component life Another manufacturer tracked 14 crore E20operated vehicles over an extended period and also found no evidence of ethanolinduced corrosion the reply addedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever