Government Confirms Premium Petrol Will Stay Ethanol-Free, No Plans for Blending Beyond 20%
Consumers purchasing premium petrol from state-run fuel retailers will continue to receive ethanol-free fuel. The Indian government confirmed this on Thursday, stating that these specialized grades will remain exempt from the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme. There are currently no plans to reintroduce E0 or E10 petrol or to increase ethanol blending in regular petrol beyond the existing 20%.
Premium Petrol Exemption
Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi provided this clarification in the Lok Sabha. He noted that any decision regarding an increase in ethanol blending would follow detailed scientific studies and consultations with automobile manufacturers, oil marketing companies, and research institutions. Premium petrol grades, such as Indian Oil Corporation’s XP100, Hindustan Petroleum’s poWer100, and Bharat Petroleum’s Speed100, are supplied without ethanol due to their specialized performance-enhancing additives. These premium fuels represent only about 0.5% of total petrol sales in India.
Currently, premium petrol is priced at approximately Rs 160 per litre, while regular petrol blended with 20% ethanol is sold at Rs 102.12 per litre. The government has mandated both public and private fuel retailers to offer petrol blended with up to 20% ethanol across all states and Union territories under the EBP programme. Additionally, ethanol-blended motor spirit with a minimum Research Octane Number (RON) of 95 will be implemented starting April 1, 2026.
No Complaints About E20
The government has reported no widespread complaints from vehicle manufacturers, automobile associations, or consumer organizations regarding E20 fuel. Gopi stated that laboratory studies, field trials, and operational data have not shown significant adverse effects on engine durability or vehicle performance. More than 20 crore two-wheelers and over 3 crore petrol cars have been operating on higher ethanol blends without verified evidence of widespread engine failures linked to ethanol blending.
E0 and E10 Not Returning
The Centre has ruled out the reintroduction of petrol with lower ethanol content, confirming that there are no proposals to bring back E0 or E10 fuel. Gopi emphasized that the decision to maintain a higher ethanol blend has been scientifically validated and accepted by the automobile industry after extensive testing. He explained that maintaining separate supply chains for E0, E10, and E20 petrol across more than one lakh retail outlets would complicate logistics and increase costs.
The minister stated that public policy should focus on advancing to superior fuel options rather than reverting to inferior standards. E0, which contains no ethanol, and E10, which contains 10% ethanol, are not being considered for reintroduction. E20, currently sold at over one lakh petrol pumps nationwide, contains 20% ethanol and 80% petrol.
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