# E20 Petrol Not Sole Cause of Low Mileage, Says Govt 2026-08-16T05:41:03+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has said vehicle mileage depends on driving habits, traffic, tyre pressure and AC usage, and cannot be blamed on E20 petrol alone. In an August 15 post on X, the ministry said E20 had undergone extensive testing and validation, and that real-world mileage depends on overall driving and vehicle conditions. The clarification follows widespread social media claims that 20% ethanol-blended petrol reduces mileage and harms performance. The government previously acknowledged that vehicles designed for E10 may see a marginal 3, 5% fuel economy drop, as minister Suresh Gopi told Rajya Sabha last month. But it said extensive laboratory and field trials by ARAI, SIAM, IOCL and IIP have not established any widespread adverse impact on vehicle performance or abnormal wear and tear. The ministry emphasised that ethanol raises octane ratings, helping resist engine knocking. It also said it has not received substantiated complaints from vehicle manufacturers or consumer organisations about E20's effect on fuel efficiency or maintenance costs. ## Coverage - ndtvprofit.com - livemint.com This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-16T11:45:12+00:00. Tags: E20, ethanol blending, Government of India Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/govt-says-e20-petrol-not-sole-cause-of-low-mileage/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/govt-says-e20-petrol-not-sole-cause-of-low-mileage/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/