Overview
- Government planners are discussing E21 petrol in 2027 with a possible E25 target in 2029 and a cap at 25 percent, according to Business Today’s sourcing.
- E20 petrol is now sold nationwide ahead of the earlier 2030 goal, drawing foreign interest as a hedge against oil shocks.
- Most vehicles on the road are not built for higher blends, so moving beyond E20 could cut mileage and raise maintenance unless engines are redesigned and stations upgrade storage and pumps.
- Despite fuel substitution in 2014–24, the crude import bill fell by less than 3 percent, and hitting E30 would require about 1,735 crore litres a year versus roughly 985 crore litres produced in 2025.
- Sourcing ethanol from sugarcane and rice consumes large amounts of water, and the 2023 curb on grain feedstocks underscored food‑security concerns, prompting calls to scale second‑generation ethanol from crop residues.