The government has not estimated what percentage of vehicles currently on the road are fully compatible with E20 fuel, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Mr. Suresh Gopi told the Rajya Sabha.

Responding to the query, Mr. Gopi told the house of elders, “Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) have informed that no such assessment has been done by them.”

Mr. Gopi’s response assume significance amid the renewed backlash about the reported impact on vehicles because of the one-fifth blended fuel.

The government has maintained that the use of E20 fuel in vehicles is compliant with existing standards, even though a 10% ethanol blend has been found to reduce fuel efficiency by approximately 3–5%

Separately, in response to a query in the Lok Sabha on July 20, the government had informed that it had not decided on increasing the blending beyond the current 20%.

Any move towards higher blending would come “only after detailed scientific and technical studies and consultations with all relevant stakeholders, including automobile manufacturers, Oil Marketing Companies and research institutions,” Mr. Gopi said.

Published - July 27, 2026 09:44 pm IST