Ethanol E20 Fuel Row: Gadkari Questions Auto Companies Over Mileage and Vehicle Concerns

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has intensified the debate over E20 ethanol-blended petrol, questioning automobile companies including Maruti Suzuki, Toyota Kirloskar and Hero MotoCorp on customer concerns related to mileage, engine performance and vehicle safety. Gadkari demanded written clarification from manufacturers on whether they would compensate customers if E20 fuel leads to reduced mileage or damages vehicle components. He argued that countries such as Japan, Thailand and Brazil took several years to transition towards higher ethanol blending levels, while India moved towards E20 adoption at a much faster pace. Gadkari claimed that millions of older vehicles are not E20 compliant and urged the government to provide consumers with fuel choices like E0, E10 and E20. The minister also challenged claims that other countries widely use higher ethanol blends, stating that many nations still operate on lower ethanol levels. Meanwhile, Toyota has maintained that mileage reduction is limited and major complaints are linked to adulterated fuel rather than E20 itself. Gadkari said he will seek further clarification from companies and the government.

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