India has completed the nationwide rollout of E20 (20% ethanol-blended) petrol. You will only be able to buy E20 petrol regardless of whether your vehicle was designed for it or not. The E20 push had raised many concerns among vehicle owners in the past. Even as the government reassured vehicle owners that E20 petrol did not lead to any adverse effects to the engine, a Mumbai man filed an RTI seeking clarity on the adverse effects of E20 on engines and other powertrain components. After a notable delay this request has now got a response from authorities. In it, ARAI says that the research reports that the RTI request asks for, cannot be revealed!
Nachiket Deshpande, a banker from Mumbai, filed a request under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, seeking clarity on the scientific studies conducted by concerned bodies to assess the effects of E20 petrol on vehicles. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, on August 12, 2025, put out a press release stating the importance of E20 fuel and describing how adoption of the same would help the farmer folk and the agriculture sector at large.
The release also talked about the concerns related to E20 fuel. It said ‘Concerns related to performance and mileage being raised now were anticipated as early as 2020 by Government and an Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) of the NITI Aayog examined them at length. This also was backed by research studies carried out by IOCL, ARAI and SIAM.’
Deshpande filed an RTI request seeking the research reports of the said studies. Obtaining these will help in getting a better picture of the realities behind using E20 fuel in our vehicles. The RTI request also asked to specify the vehicle models used for the study, distance tested and findings in detail. It also asked if the research studied the impact of moisture phase separation from E20 petrol, and if so, to specify the details of parts corrosion or fuel line damage.
In short, the RTI had very specific questions and was trying to address the concerns of thousands of petrol vehicle users. In a post shared on X (previously Twitter), Deshpande alleges that the petroleum ministry ‘sat on his RTI for two months’. Then it allegedly deflected the request to the ARAI and OMCs (Oil Marketing Companies). The final response came from ARAI.
In it, the body refused to provide copies of the research report or documents related to the aforementioned tests, saying that they were ‘confidential’. It also mentioned that sharing the said information is ‘exempted from disclosure under the provisions of the Section 8 (1) (d) of the RTI Act.’. This response would dishearten many and make them raise their brows.
In the X post, Deshpande asks a question that many would feel is relevant. ‘If the Govt cited IOCL, ARAI, and SIAM studies in their press release to push the E20 mandate, why is the data now a state secret?’. What is so ‘confidential’ about mileage drop and engine damage- he asks. The banker also alleges that this is a total lack of accountability, and not a matter of trade secrets.
According to Deshpande, the refusal to share research reports confirms his suspicion that the Ministry lied in the press release and no ‘extensive research’ was conducted on the matter. He also says that millions of vehicle owners are being used as guinea pigs for the policy that’s not being backed by transparent science.
People who own petrol cars and motorcycles already have concerns about the long term impact of E20 fuel on their vehicles. Ethanol content in petrol can cause serious issues in non-compatible vehicles. Petrol cars and motorcycles built before 2023, were designed for blends no higher than E5 or E10. E20 can, over time, damage their fuel hoses, seals, and gaskets. Fuel pump and injector damage are also likely.
Additionally, 5-7% drop in fuel efficiency may also be observed, due to the relatively low energy density of Ethanol-blended petrol. Older cars and motorcycles are even more vulnerable to the highly corrosive nature of Ethanol. Newer vehicles, particularly those manufactured after 2023, are E20 compatible and will function smoothly on 20% Ethanol-blended fuel. These have been creating panic and confusion among vehicle owners, and the lack of transparency only adds to it.