Photo: IANS
Amid the ongoing debate over ethanol-blended petrol, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said motorists cannot accurately determine their vehicle's fuel efficiency on their own and should instead rely on tests conducted by authorised service centres.
Speaking to ABP News on Monday, Gadkari was responding to a journalist who claimed that her car's mileage had dropped significantly after switching to government-mandated E20 petrol for city driving.
The journalist said her car, purchased in 2023 and believed to be compatible with E20 fuel, had seen its mileage fall from around 11 km per litre to 7 km per litre. When Gadkari asked how the figure had been calculated, she said it was based on the mileage displayed on the vehicle's dashboard, India Today reported.
In response, Gadkari said dashboard readings were not sufficient to accurately assess fuel efficiency. He maintained that only tests carried out using equipment available at manufacturer-authorised dealerships could provide reliable mileage figures.
The minister's remarks come days after the Union government acknowledged that E20 petrol could reduce fuel economy by 3–5 per cent in certain vehicles while continuing to defend the ethanol-blending programme.
Last week, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas released a question-and-answer document addressing concerns surrounding the Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme. The ministry acknowledged that some vehicles may experience a 3–5 per cent reduction in fuel efficiency with E20 petrol but argued that mileage should not be viewed as the sole measure of the fuel's overall benefits.
The Centre made E20 petrol available nationwide from April 1 as part of its strategy to increase ethanol blending, reduce dependence on imported crude oil and lower emissions.
The policy has, however, drawn criticism from several motorists, many of whom have reported reduced fuel efficiency. Some automobile manufacturers have also expressed concerns about the performance of E20 fuel in older vehicles.