AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal has written a letter to 29 auto companies raising questions on E-20 fuel. He has asked whether the company will give compensation if the mileage falls or the parts get damaged due to its use in old vehicles?
New Delhi [भारत]July 8 (ANI): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said he has written a letter to 29 auto manufacturers over concerns over the use of E-20 fuel in old vehicles.
Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Kejriwal said he has sent separate letters to three companies – Maruti, Toyota and Hero, which had earlier said in a government press conference that E-20 fuel would not cause any problem in old vehicles. Kejriwal said, “Today I have written letters to 29 auto manufacturing companies. I have sent separate letters to three companies – Maruti, Toyota and Hero, who had said in a government press conference that E-20 fuel will not cause any problem in old vehicles. I have told these three companies to clearly write in their owner manuals that fuel with ethanol higher than E-10 should not be used in old vehicles.”
Kejriwal asked two questions to the companies
He further said that he has asked two specific questions to the companies. Kejriwal asked, “So, I have asked them two questions: If the use of E-20 results in a more than five per cent decline in mileage or damage to any component, will compensation be given? They should tell the public whether E-20 can be used in their vehicles manufactured before 2023. If yes, in case of a mileage issue or damage to any component, will the company compensate for the loss?”
Puri called the allegations ‘misrepresentation’
Earlier, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday said reports of E-20 fuel causing problems to customers are “misrepresentations”, and stressed that the move to higher E-25 blend would be taken only after completion of trials and discussions with automakers.
Dismissing the controversy over 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol, Puri said that both car manufacturers and consumers have accepted this fuel. He said, “The vehicle manufacturers, as well as the people who service these vehicles, all say there are no difficulties. Why this sudden interest?” “This is a misrepresentation and I don’t want to use stronger words than that,” he said.
The minister mentioned that India is gradually increasing ethanol blending. “We have been on E-15 for the last three and a half years. We have been on E-20 since April last year. From April 2025 to April 2026, it’s already been a year, and now we’re five more months beyond that,” he said.
According to Puri, currently 20 crore two-wheelers and 20 lakh four-wheelers are running on ethanol-blended petrol. “Carmakers are comfortable with the e-20. Every one of them has made a statement in this regard. Consumers also appreciate the product,” he said.
Government will not rush on E25
On demands to move to E-25, Puri said the government is not rushing into this decision. “If anyone is suggesting E-25, we have made it clear that we are doing tests. Those tests will take time. Once the reports are available, we will evaluate them. Then we will discuss the findings with stakeholders and automakers. After all, I neither make cars nor fuel,” he said.
The minister also gave information on the rollout of E-85 and said that it has just started. “We have just begun the rollout of E-85, and that rollout will take some time because new petrol pumps and related infrastructure need to be installed,” he said.
The government is targeting 20 per cent ethanol blending across the country under its Ethanol Blended Petrol Program to cut import dependence and support farmers. Puri said the change is moving forward in phases based on technical data and industry feedback. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)