No complaints received on damage from ethanol-blended petrol: Telangana Transport Minister

Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said in Legislative Council on September 9, 2026, that E20 petrol was being sold across the country from April 1, 2026. The image is used for representative purposes only. | Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the Transport Department had not received any complaints from vehicle owners or automobile industry experts about damage caused by ethanol-blended petrol.“As no such complaints have come to our notice, we do not have details on the issue and there is no scope for regulatory or corrective measures at our level,” he said.He was responding to a question raised by MLC Prof. Kodandaram in the Legislative Council on Wednesday (September 9, 2026), on concerns over vehicles being affected by E20 petrol.Possible reduction in mileage by 3-5%Mr. Prabhakar acknowledged that ethanol had lower energy content than petrol and that vehicles could experience a slight reduction in pickup and mileage. The Minister said the use of petrol blended with 20% ethanol (E20) could result in a 3 to 5% reduction in vehicle pickup and mileage, but maintained that regular servicing would ensure that vehicles could be operated without major problems.He said the E20 programme was being implemented under the Central government’s policy and monitored by oil marketing companies. The E20 petrol was being sold across the country from April 1, 2026, he said.Older vehicles may need minor modificationsThe safety, type approval and certification requirements for vehicles using the fuel came under the Central Motor Vehicles Act and rules, he added. Vehicles manufactured from April 1 onwards had been designed to use E20 fuel, while owners of older vehicles might need to make minor modifications or replace certain spare parts, he said.Three benefits from ethanol blendingHe highlighted three major benefits of ethanol blending — better prices and additional income for farmers, reduction in pollution and savings in foreign exchange. Ethanol production using sugarcane juice, molasses, paddy, maize and other raw materials would create a market for agricultural produce, he felt.Seven ethanol factories in TelanganaThe Minister also sought to dispel apprehensions about pollution from ethanol factories. He said modern ethanol plants being established with Central government support were designed with pollution-control measures. Telangana currently has seven ethanol factories, including two or three in Karimnagar district, he said.Mr. Prabhakar said the Agriculture and Excise departments were facilitating agreements between oil companies and entrepreneurs for setting up new ethanol plants, while the Transport Department had no role in their establishment. He appealed to industrialists to consider setting up ethanol plants with adequate pollution-control measures.On electric mobility, the Minister said Telangana had introduced an EV policy under which electric vehicle buyers were receiving 100% tax exemption. The policy was being implemented successfully.He appealed to Legislative Council Chairman Sukhender Reddy to consider extending some concessions to members purchasing electric vehicles. Published - September 09, 2026 01:26 pm IST