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Vlogger reports sharp mileage drop on E20 petrol
Hindustan Times··12 Jul
YouTuber Sourav Joshi said his Mercedes mileage fell from about 17 km per litre to 5 km per litre after using ethanol-blended E20 petrol in Uttarakhand. He posted videos showing reduced range on a full tank. The petroleum ministry says E20 may cut economy by 3 to 5 percent in some vehicles. ARAI testing found 2 to 6 percent loss.
Prism
What It Means For You
- If you fill E20 petrol in a compatible car, official tests suggest a modest mileage change, but your weekly fuel bill still depends on driving style, tyre pressure and servicing.
- Owners of premium or older vehicles may watch social media claims closely and keep service records if they dispute fuel-related performance changes with dealers or insurers.
- Rural and semi-urban drivers in ethanol rollout states face the same E20 pumps as cities, making blending policy a direct household fuel cost issue.
What's Happening
- Joshi, based in Haldwani, posted that his Mercedes range fell from about 808 km to 480 km on a tank within 48 hours of using blended petrol.
- The petroleum ministry released an FAQ on July 10 defending E20, admitting a 3 to 5 percent economy reduction in some vehicles while citing energy security benefits.
- ARAI told ANI that tests across vehicles aged three to ten years showed 2 to 6 percent consumption increases without drivability or startability problems.
Regulation vs Reality
- Ethanol blending rose from under 1.5 percent in 2013-14 to 20 percent in 2025-26 under a programme involving oil marketing companies and automakers.
- The government is now evaluating E25 fuel through 60,000 to 70,000 km of real-world testing, according to reports citing ARAI's ongoing study.
- Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had publicly challenged critics to present real cases before Joshi's videos went viral this week.
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