- Maruti Suzuki reports no significant engine wear or corrosion from E20 fuel use in old cars
- Some E20 fuel complaints may stem from fuel adulteration, not the ethanol blend itself
- Maruti Suzuki expects a 3 to 3.5 percent mileage drop switching from E10 to E20 petrol
Amid growing concerns around the nationwide rollout of E20 (20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol), two of India's largest carmakers, Maruti Suzuki and Toyota Kirloskar Motor, have assured customers that they have not observed any significant issues related to engine wear, corrosion or increased insurance claims due to the use of the fuel.
Speaking to NDTV Profit, senior executives from both companies said extensive field data and service records indicate that E20 fuel has not resulted in abnormal wear and tear, even in older-generation vehicles.
Maruti Suzuki: No Signs Of Excessive Wear Even In Older Cars
Rahul Bharti, Senior Executive Officer at Maruti Suzuki, said the company has extensively evaluated the impact of E20 fuel, including on vehicles manufactured before 2010.
According to Bharti, Maruti Suzuki serviced over 2.5 crore vehicles during FY26, of which more than 1.5 crore belonged to older generations. Despite this large sample size, the company said it has not noticed any unusual signs of corrosion, premature wear or reduced engine life that could be linked to E20 petrol.
Bharti added that even instances where E20 fuel has been used in vehicles originally designed for E10 petrol have not shown any significant cause for concern based on the company's observations.
Fuel Adulteration Could Be Behind Some Complaints
Addressing customer complaints related to E20 fuel, Maruti Suzuki said some reported issues could instead be linked to fuel adulteration, which remains a separate industry-wide challenge.
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Bharti noted that oil marketing companies regularly conduct fuel quality checks and work closely with automobile manufacturers to ensure compliance. He maintained that customers using Maruti Suzuki vehicles can remain confident about the compatibility of E20 fuel.
Mileage Drop Of Around 3 To 3.5 Per Cent Is Expected
Maruti Suzuki acknowledged that ethanol's lower calorific value compared to petrol results in a slight reduction in fuel efficiency.
According to the company, switching from E10 to E20 fuel could lead to a 3 to 3.5 per cent drop in mileage, although actual fuel efficiency also depends on driving conditions, traffic and vehicle maintenance.
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Bharti said this reduction remains well within engineering expectations. He also highlighted that ethanol's higher octane rating could enable the development of future engines with higher compression ratios, helping recover some of the efficiency loss while potentially improving low-end torque.
Toyota Echoes Similar Findings
Toyota Kirloskar Motor also dismissed concerns over E20 fuel adversely affecting vehicles.
Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice President at Toyota Kirloskar Motor, told NDTV Profit that the company has not observed any dealership complaints linking E20 petrol to engine-related issues.
He added that if customers encounter fuel-related problems, they are more likely to be caused by contamination rather than the ethanol blend itself. According to Gulati, this issue has existed even before the introduction of E20 fuel and is not unique to the current fuel blend.
Toyota also said it has not noticed any trend suggesting an increase in insurance claims that could be attributed to E20 fuel.
Flex-Fuel Technology Could Be The Next Step
Commenting on the government's ethanol roadmap, Toyota said the transition from E10 to E20 was based on detailed studies conducted by independent agencies and should reassure consumers planning to purchase new vehicles.
Gulati also pointed towards flex-fuel technology as the next stage of India's ethanol journey. These vehicles are capable of operating on multiple ethanol blends, including E20, E30 and even E85, offering greater flexibility as fuel infrastructure evolves.
Like Maruti Suzuki, Toyota estimates that E20 fuel results in a 3 to 4 per cent reduction in fuel efficiency due to ethanol's lower energy density. However, the company noted that ethanol's higher octane rating provides engineering opportunities that could partly offset this loss in future engine designs.