Renault India Confirms E20 Fuel Safety For E10-Compatible Vehicles

Carmaker Renault India has announced that "extensive road testing" has revealed no significant performance problems in E10-certified vehicles using E20 ethanol-blended fuel. The French automaker made this statement in a bid to address growing consumer concerns about fuel compatibility. The firm's testing protocol included E20 fuel usage in automobiles originally certified for E10 fuel.

This comes after a Renault user shared E20 dilemma on X (formerly Twitter).

User Shares E20 Fuel Dilemma

A Renault vehicle owner recently contacted the French manufacturer regarding the government's implementation of ethanol-enhanced gasoline (E20). After reaching out to the company's India Customer Service division to verify his vehicle's compatibility with the updated fuel specification, he received guidance recommending against its use.

"Renault advises against using E20 petrol in my 2022 car. What should I do now?" posted a Renault user named Thakur on Twitter (now X), subsequently noting, "This is a new car and we've done just 13,000 kilometres in 3 years."

Joint Testing By IOC And ARAI

To address customer apprehensions regarding 20 per cent ethanol-blended fuel usage in E10-certified automobiles, the Triber producer revealed that comprehensive endurance evaluations were performed in collaboration with Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) using multiple fuel blend configurations.

According to the preliminary assessment referenced by the manufacturer, the results indicate zero negative consequences from this fuel combination. The automaker clarified that following existing regulations, E10 served as the designated fuel for type approval procedures and manufacturing evaluations of the 2022 Triber variant.

What The Govt. Study Says

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) issued a statement on August 12 crediting E20 with delivering enhanced acceleration performance and better driving experience, coupled with reduced carbon emissions by roughly 30 per cent compared to its E10 counterpart.

'No Drivability Issues Reported'

The ministry additionally reported zero complications regarding vehicle operability, engine starting capability, or material compatibility with metals and plastics. MoPNG issued a precautionary note stating that "specific older vehicle models" might require replacement of certain rubber components and seals originally engineered for non-ethanol fuel specifications.