E30 Being Sold As E20 - Karnataka Ethanol Tests FInd Blends As High As 31.2%

The Karnataka government has stated that tests carried out on blended E20 petrol samples from major oil marketing companies were featuring up to 31.2 percent ethanol, well above the 20 percent E20 blend.

According to the Karnataka Food Minister Rizwan Arshad, the state collected 63 petrol samples from Bengaluru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Mangaluru and Tumakuru.

Karnataka Ethanol Test Results by Fuel Brand

An IOCL (Indian Oil) sample recorded the highest reading at 31.2 percent, followed by 30.5 percent in an HPCL Power(Hindusan Petroleum's premium fuel) sample. Every brand except MRPL (Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited) had at least one sample above the E20 limit. Only three of the 14 showcased samples stayed under the limit, at 19.9 percent for BPCL(Bharat Petroleum), 19.2 percent for MRPL and 13.5 percent for Shell.

The Karnataka ethanol test was conducted after motorists complained about falling mileage and frequent repairs, according to Arshad. The samples first went to the in-house laboratories of IOCL and BPCL(Bharat Petroluem) along with a questionnaire, but none of the reports disclosed ethanol content for any of the 63 samples. The department then sent them to private NABL-accredited laboratories. Arshad claimed that Karnataka as the first state to run and publicly release such tests.

Image Source: PTI

Pump Inspections, Compatibility and Karnataka's Demands

The Karnataka Legal Metrology Department also inspected 805 petrol pumps across the state, and 748 outlets failed accuracy checks, with dispensing units showing short delivery or calibration deviations. Pumps with minor variations received warnings and recalibration notices. Another 101 stations were booked under the Legal Metrology Act for severe, intentional under-dispensing, and Rs 6.66 lakh in fines was collected in the first phase.

All petrol pumps in the state must now display official calibration certificates and a toll-free grievance helpline, 1800 599 100, has been set up. A public online dashboard showing the compliance and calibration status of over 5,900 fuel stations in Karnataka is also planned.

Around 99 percent of India's 35 crore vehicles were not designed for blends above E20, the department said, and even vehicles sold after April 2023 are certified only up to E20. Arshad listed accelerated wear of rubber and plastic parts, fuel pump damage, fuel line corrosion and reduced mileage as the risks for older engines.

A 2021 NITI Aayog report estimated a mileage drop of 1 to 2 percent for vehicles built for E20, 6 to 7 percent for older cars and 3 to 4 percent for older two-wheelers. The Karnataka ethanol test findings came with a cost estimate for the damages caused by the switch to E20. The government put the annual burden on consumers at nearly Rs 1.01 lakh crore, made up of Rs 62,000 crore from a 10 percent mileage loss and Rs 39,000 crore in repairs to fuel filters, pumps, injectors, hoses and seals. It set that against the combined FY2025-26 profit of IOCL, BPCL and HPCL, which it put at Rs 77,821 crore.

Karnataka wants action against oil marketing companies supplying petrol above 20 percent ethanol, an E20 spoilage fund with a time-bound claims process certified by authorised service centres, and mandatory ethanol display at every petrol pump. It has also asked for a choice of fuel blends and called on Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Hardeep Singh Puri to explain how the over-blended petrol reached consumers.

Arshad objected to the Centre's proposal for biennial or private-agency verification of fuel dispensers, arguing that unannounced state inspections are needed to prevent consumer fraud and adulteration. Further sampling will continue under the Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel Order, 2005.

An earlier SIAM report had flagged high chloride and moisture contamination in E20 fuel and urged mandatory chloride limits in fuel specifications. The report was later taken down. In October, Puri dismissed concerns around E20 as a contrived narrative and said the target remains 20 percent, with no plan to raise it.