- By Pawan Mishra
- Fri, 10 Jul 2026 07:31 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Nitin Gadkari On E20 Fuel Damage: The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, recently shared that the Indian government has instructed car manufacturers to replace older cars’ parts damaged by E20 fuel during servicing. Notably, the fear of E20 fuel damage to vehicles has sparked stark debate on social media. During an interview, Gadkari also shared that claims of vehicle damage on social media are exaggerated and are a part of a false narrative.
‘Replace Car Washers At No Extra Cost’: Gadkari
In an interview with the Indian Express, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, said that ‘For older cars going for servicing, the washers used to be made of metal. Now they are (made of rubber. During servicing, we have instructed vehicle manufacturers to replace those washers at no extra cost to the consumer. To my knowledge, no cars have broken down. When it comes to performance, ethanol is proven to be better; it has much better anti-knocking properties and a high octane number. I have been advocating for ethanol as an alternative since 2004…’
Gadkari Admits Mileage Is Affected
Nitin Gadkari admitted that a vehicle’s fuel efficiency is affected by E20 fuel. The union minister cited that Ethanol has a lower calorific value when compared to petrol. Notably, calorific value refers to the amount of heat released after the complete combustion of a specific quantity of substance. In simpler words, 1ml of ethanol produces less heat than 1ml of petrol. Thus, a vehicle will burn a larger amount of ethanol to produce the same amount of power, in comparison to petrol. Gadkari also said that in cities such as Mumbai or Delhi, vehicles stay in lower gears, which also leads to lower fuel efficiency. He also mentioned that, as per an ARAI report, vehicles with flex-fuel engines show no problem with mileage, and that’s why government is pushing flex-engine technology in the country.