Now Reading: SIAM Withdraws E20 Chloride Concern Letter, Citing Unverified Data
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SIAM Withdraws E20 Chloride Concern Letter, Citing Unverified Data
SIAM Withdraws E20 Chloride Concern Letter, Citing Unverified Data
The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers has withdrawn a letter to the Petroleum Ministry that warned E20 fuel could cause corrosion and wear in vehicle parts because of chloride contamination. SIAM said…
The Story in Brief
The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers has withdrawn a letter to the Petroleum Ministry that warned E20 fuel could cause corrosion and wear in vehicle parts because of chloride contamination. SIAM said the data needed further authentication and that its concerns had since been addressed. The Hindu accessed the earlier draft, which cited failures in fuel injectors, pumps, exhaust components and other parts. It reported chloride levels as high as 500 mg/kg in some samples, while moisture reportedly exceeded 10,000 mg/kg in some cases.
SIAM said ethanol supplied for blending now faces a precautionary 3 parts per million chloride and sulphur limit. Oil companies also conduct water-ingress tests 8 to 12 times daily at more than 87,000 outlets, and after rain near pumps. Team Bharat founder Tehseen Poonawalla accused the industry body of retreating under administrative pressure.
The Indian Opinion
The loudest claims now run in opposite directions: that E20 is damaging vehicles everywhere, or that the withdrawn letter proves there was never a problem. Neither follows from this episode. SIAM’s reversal weakens the original evidence, but it does not erase the need for transparent testing of fuel and failed parts. Independent sampling across regions, with published methods and results, should settle the dispute. Will the promised chloride limit and outlet checks produce fewer verified failures over the next year?
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
