Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday accused the central government of forcibly introducing E20 petrol across India despite widespread opposition from vehicle owners. He alleged that the government pressured major automobile manufacturers to publicly declare the fuel safe, even as their official owner manuals caution against using ethanol blends exceeding 10 percent.
Government accused of pressuring automakers
Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal claimed that on July 3, the Centre convened a press event with six leading automobile manufacturers and instructed them to endorse E20 petrol as safe for vehicles. He named Maruti Suzuki, Toyota Kirloskar, and Hero MotoCorp as participants who stated that E20 fuel is safe even for older vehicles and would cause only a 5-7 percent reduction in fuel efficiency.
Kejriwal questioned the credibility of these claims, pointing out that Toyota’s official owner manual permits the use of only E10 fuel, which contains up to 10 percent ethanol. He further alleged that the manual advises customers to revert to E0 petrol if E10 fuel causes any decline in vehicle performance or fuel efficiency.
Contradiction between public statements and owner manuals
“When the companies’ own official documents prescribe a maximum limit of E10, how can they publicly claim that E20 is completely safe?” Kejriwal asked. He argued that promoting E20 as safe from a government platform, despite owner manuals cautioning against ethanol blends above 10 percent, amounts to misleading consumers.
The former Delhi chief minister said he would write to Maruti Suzuki, Toyota Kirloskar, and Hero MotoCorp, alleging that their public statements on E20 fuel are inconsistent with the guidance provided in their official owner manuals.
Government’s stance on ethanol blending
The Union government has maintained that vehicles designed or certified as E20-compatible can safely run on the fuel. Several automobile manufacturers have introduced E20-compliant models in line with the government’s ethanol-blending programme, which aims to reduce oil imports and promote cleaner fuel.
Kejriwal’s allegations come amid ongoing debates over the viability and safety of higher ethanol blends in conventional vehicles. The AAP leader urged the government to reconsider its approach and prioritise consumer interests over corporate pressure.
