Indian Carmakers Raise Private Concerns Over E20 Fuel Contamination

Indian automakers privately raised concerns over possible contamination in E20 petrol before an industry warning was publicly withdrawn, according to emails reviewed by Reuters. Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Mahindra discussed concerns about high levels of chloride and moisture in ethanol-blended petrol. Industry testing involved more than 250 fuel samples collected from petrol stations across 21 states and territories.

The data showed chloride levels significantly above the government’s stated permissible limit in several states, while moisture levels also exceeded the benchmark in some samples. Automakers said contaminants could cause corrosion and, in severe cases, lead to vehicle failures. Mahindra engineers specifically raised concerns about organic chloride, while Maruti highlighted the need for chloride levels to remain within limits compatible with modern fuel-injection systems.

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) withdrew its July 28 warning after controversy over the data, saying the sample size and testing basis were insufficient for definitive conclusions. The government and state-run fuel retailers have said their own testing found only four contamination cases and no reason for public alarm. Mahindra has also rejected conclusions drawn from the emails, calling the available industry data preliminary and saying it does not see an issue with E20 fuel.

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