No problems with E20 petrol, government not rushing E25 transition: Hardeep Singh Puri

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has rejected concerns over the use of E20 petrol, calling reports of customer issues a "misrepresentation". He said the government will take a calibrated approach to any future transition to E25, with the decision hinging on technical test results and consultations with automobile manufacturers and other stakeholders.

E20 accepted by automakers and consumers, says Puri

Dismissing the controversy surrounding 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol, Puri said both automobile manufacturers and consumers have accepted E20 fuel and reported no operational difficulties.

"The automobile manufacturers, as well as the people who service these vehicles, all say there is no difficulty. Why this sudden interest?" he said. "It is a misrepresentation and I don't want to use stronger words."

The minister said India has steadily increased ethanol blending over the past few years as part of its energy transition strategy.

"We have been using E15 for the last three and a half years. We have been on E20 since April of last year. From April 2025 to April 2026, it has already been one year, and we are now another five months beyond that," he said.

According to Puri, nearly 20 crore two-wheelers and 20 lakh four-wheelers are currently running on ethanol-blended petrol across the country.

"The car manufacturers are comfortable with E20. Each one of them has made a statement to that effect. Consumers also appreciate the product," he added.

E25 decision to follow testing and stakeholder consultation

Addressing suggestions to move to E25 fuel, Puri said the government is proceeding cautiously and will not take a decision until technical evaluations are complete.

"If someone is suggesting E25, we have made it clear that we are conducting tests. Those tests will take time. Once the reports are available, we will evaluate them. Then we will discuss the findings with the stakeholders and the automobile manufacturers. After all, I neither manufacture the cars nor the fuel," he said.

E85 rollout begins as ethanol blending programme expands

The minister also provided an update on the rollout of E85 fuel, saying the process is still in its early stages and will require new infrastructure.

"We have only begun the rollout of E85, and that rollout will take some time because new petrol pumps and related infrastructure need to be put in place," he said.

The government is pursuing nationwide 20 per cent ethanol blending under the Ethanol Blended Petrol programme to reduce crude oil import dependence and support farmers. Puri reiterated that the transition would continue in phases, guided by technical assessments and industry feedback.

(With inputs from ANI)