Pune: People who suspect that their vehicles are facing engine performance issues because of ethanol-blended fuel should get them checked by authorised automobile dealers, said Reji Mathai, director of Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), on Saturday.In a meeting held on Friday, automakers told ARAI that they were unaware of the brewing perception that vehicle performance was impacted because of ethanol-blended petrol, Mathai told reporters in Pune during a press conference held to allay fears around the fuel.ARAI, on its part, in 2022 conducted tests on around 10 old vehicles to examine any likelihood of adverse impact of E20 petrol. It found that the mileage dropped by 2-6%. It did not find issues in engine performance during those trials.“Around 30,000 vehicles were tested through field trials by automakers. They were satisfied with the results. Automakers never said that there were any problems. Now, automakes have sensitised the dealers to escalate any issue related to E20,” Mathai said.The govt started introducing E20 fuel from mid-2023 onwards on a pilot basis. E10, however, was available at the time. Earlier, ARAI was asked to do a study along with auto manufacturers including two-and four-wheelers.“ARAI and OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) carried out combined accelerated tests between 40,000 and 60,000 km for two- and four-wheelers that were eight to 10 years old. We did not select new vehicles, but we were critical as to when they were serviced on time,” Mathai said.Mathai said even earlier that a vehicle certified to deliver 16-17 km per litre would typically provide an on-road mileage of 13-14 kmpl. With E20, that may decline marginally, from around 13 kmpl to 12 kmpl.On E25 fuel, Mathai said, there is a long way to go. It is better to be prepared for higher blends, as India has a huge import bill when it comes to energy sufficiency, he said.Mathai said the issue of having different grades of ethanol blends along with pure petrol at the fuelling stations will drive up costs for the consumer.“The govt may think on those lines in the future. Why should we do this unless there is a significant value to it? Even if there are some vehicles that may not run unless there is a particular blend or on pure petrol, let it come out. But there is no need as of now,” he said.
