Kejriwal Accuses Automakers of Misleading Public on E20 Fuel
Arvind Kejriwal, national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), on Tuesday alleged that the central government pressured three major automobile manufacturers to mislead the public about the safety of using E20 fuel in vehicles designed for E10 fuel.
Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal claimed that Maruti Suzuki, Toyota Kirloskar, and Hero MotoCorp were forced to hold press conferences and falsely assure consumers that using E20 petrol would not damage vehicles, despite owner manuals warning against fuel with more than 10% ethanol.
Kejriwal said he would write to all automobile companies seeking written assurance that they would compensate vehicle owners if using E20 fuel reduces mileage or damages engines and other parts. He also said he would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week to ask whether the government or the companies would bear the cost of compensation if vehicles are damaged due to the mandatory blending of ethanol.
The former Delhi chief minister accused the Centre of stubbornly pushing the E20 policy despite widespread opposition. “The reason behind this stubbornness is not known, but the Central government refuses to budge. Every day, one lie after another is being told,” he said.
Kejriwal further alleged that the Centre summoned six automobile companies on July 3 and asked them to tell the public that E20 fuel is safe. According to him, three companies refused, but Maruti Suzuki, Toyota Kirloskar, and Hero MotoCorp complied and misled the public. The AAP leader noted that these companies claimed mileage would drop only by 5-7%, with no damage to the fuel tank, fuel system, or engine.
The allegations come amid the government's push to increase ethanol blending in petrol to reduce oil imports and promote cleaner fuel. E20 is a blend of 20% ethanol and 80% petrol. The government plans to introduce E20 fuel across India by 2025. However, experts have warned that E20 can corrode engine components and reduce fuel efficiency in older vehicles not designed for higher ethanol content.
The companies involved have not yet responded to Kejriwal's allegations. The government has maintained that E20 is safe for vehicles manufactured after a certain date and that automakers have been asked to make necessary modifications.
