India Goes Beyond E20: BIS Notifies Standards for E22 to E30 Petrol Blends

The Government of India's ethanol-blending programme is pushing further ahead. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has published technical and quality specifications for E22, E25, E27, and E30 petrol blends in the Gazette of India, establishing a formal fuel-quality framework for blends beyond the currently mandated E20.

The new standard, designated IS 19850:2026, covers specifications for admixtures of anhydrous ethanol and motor gasoline for use in positive ignition engine-powered vehicles. It took effect from May 15, 2026, and was issued under Rule 15(1) of the Bureau of Indian Standards Rules, 2018.

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What The New Standard Covers: E22-E30

IS 19850:2026 defines permissible levels of anhydrous (water-free) ethanol in the fuel mixture, along with octane levels, sulphur content, and vapour pressure. The standard also sets out blending requirements, permissible impurity levels, approved testing methods, and safety norms applicable to each blend grade from E22 through E30.

The notification was published in the Gazette of India under Rule 15(1) of the Bureau of Indian Standards Rules, 2018. It applies to fuel used in positive ignition engine-powered vehicles, covering the bulk of petrol-powered cars and two-wheelers on Indian roads.

Why Higher Blends & Why Now?

The notification arrives as rising fuel prices, driven by ongoing Middle East tensions, intensify pressure on India's crude import bill. Publishing formal quality standards for blends up to E30 signals that the government is building the regulatory ecosystem required for the next stage of ethanol adoption, ahead of any commercial rollout.

This move also follows the government's separate draft amendments proposing recognition of E85 and E100 fuels under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules. Taken together, both moves indicate a broader, phased policy direction toward higher ethanol blending and flex-fuel vehicle readiness across the country.

What This Means For Automakers

Automakers have largely completed the transition to E20-compatible vehicles. Blends such as E30, E85, and E100, however, will require additional engineering and validation work, spanning engine calibration, fuel-system durability, corrosion resistance, and material compatibility with higher ethanol concentrations.

With the push towards E30 blends, there is also a need for alignment across fuel infrastructure, dispensing systems, and nationwide fuel consistency before higher-blend rollouts can scale. IS 19850:2026 gives automakers, suppliers, and fuel companies an early regulatory signal to begin that groundwork.

The BIS also used the same gazette notification to issue revised standards for dimethyl ether (DME) blended LPG and select other industrial specifications.