E20 Study: BS-III Vehicles May Need Part Replacements, Others Safe

A study commissioned by the Union government has found that some rubber parts and gaskets in BS-III vehicles may need replacement when using E20 fuel, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday. The study, conducted by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) Dehradun, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), was cited by Union Road Minister Nitin Gadkari in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

Gadkari was responding to a question from CPI MP A.A. Rahim on the impact of E20 on vehicle performance, fuel efficiency, engine durability and maintenance costs. The minister said that for BS-III vehicles introduced from 1st April 2005 and manufactured prior to 2016, some rubber parts and gaskets may require replacement, which can be easily managed during routine servicing. For all other vehicles, including cars and two-wheelers, no engine modifications are needed.

“These studies confirmed that even legacy vehicles did not exhibit any significant variations in performance, nor do they show abnormal wear-and-tear when operated with E20 fuel,” Gadkari stated. The study also found no issues related to drivability, startability, metal compatibility or plastic compatibility.

Notably, the full findings of the study have not been made public. While there have been widespread anecdotal complaints of vehicles misfiring or breaking down, with some users attributing the problems to E20 fuel or contaminated E20, the study did not find evidence supporting these claims. On fuel efficiency, the minister noted that mileage is influenced by multiple factors beyond fuel type, including driving habits, maintenance practices, tyre pressure, and air conditioning load.