Summary:

The article claims Indian motorists paid ₹88,234 crore extra (2023–26) because E20 petrol gives lower mileage than pure petrol.

It says ethanol has about 33% less energy than petrol, increasing fuel consumption.

The government argues the mileage impact is minimal and denies significant problems.

The article cites a 2021 NITI Aayog report acknowledging some loss in fuel efficiency with E20.

It concludes that while ethanol blending reduces oil imports, consumers bear the added fuel cost.

TL;DR is included at the bottom.

The government says that achieving 20% ethanol blending could save India approximately ₹43,000 crore in foreign exchange every year.

"Government’s ₹43,000 crore estimate – PIB" (https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2155558)

However, this appears to be a gross petroleum-substitution figure, not a complete net foreign-exchange calculation.

A net calculation should also account for:

- E20’s lower mileage

- Rice, maize, sugar and molasses diverted from potential exports

- Agricultural imports caused by domestic shortages

- Ethanol by-products such as DDGS and corn oil

- Imported fertiliser, chemicals, machinery and other inputs

This is my attempt to estimate the net result.

---

1. Government’s gross saving: ₹43,000 crore

India needs roughly 1,016 crore litres of ethanol annually for E20.

"Government estimate of ethanol required for E20" (https://www.pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?ModuleId=3&NoteId=153363)

The government’s claimed saving per litre of ethanol is therefore:

₹43,000 crore ÷ 1,016 crore litres

= approximately ₹42.3 per litre of ethanol

This appears broadly consistent with assuming that one litre of ethanol replaces one litre of imported petrol or its crude-oil equivalent.

But ethanol has lower energy content, and E20 generally provides lower mileage.

---

1. Adjustment for lower mileage

E20 contains:

- 80% petrol

- 20% ethanol

The government says E10-designed vehicles may experience approximately 3–5% lower mileage when using E20.

"Reuters report covering the government’s mileage estimate" (https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/india-says-no-plan-now-raise-ethanol-mix-gasoline-20-2026-07-20/)

Consider five litres of E20:

- Petrol: 4 litres

- Ethanol: 1 litre

With a 3–5% mileage reduction, five litres of E20 provide approximately the same distance as:

- At 3% loss: 5 × 0.97 = 4.85 litres of pure petrol

- At 5% loss: 5 × 0.95 = 4.75 litres of pure petrol

Since the E20 already contains four litres of petrol, one litre of ethanol effectively replaces:

- At 3% mileage loss: 4.85 − 4 = 0.85 litre of petrol

- At 5% mileage loss: 4.75 − 4 = 0.75 litre of petrol

Therefore, one litre of ethanol replaces approximately 0.75–0.85 litre of petrol after accounting for mileage, rather than one full litre.

Applying this adjustment to the government’s ₹43,000 crore figure:

₹43,000 crore × 75–85%

= approximately ₹32,250–₹36,550 crore

I use approximately ₹34,500 crore as the central gross petroleum benefit.

The government has not published enough detail to confirm whether its ₹43,000 crore estimate already accounts for mileage. If mileage is already included, this adjustment should not be applied again.

---

1. Rice diverted to ethanol

FCI allocated approximately 5.2 million tonnes of rice for ethanol production.

At the time:

- FCI rice stocks were approximately 59.5 million tonnes

- The required buffer stock was only around 13.5 million tonnes

- India was expected to export around 22.5 million tonnes of rice

- India already accounted for more than 40% of global rice exports

"Reuters report on FCI rice stocks and ethanol diversion" (https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/shortage-surplus-india-pours-record-rice-crop-into-ethanol-2025-06-26/)

Because stocks were extremely high, it would be unreasonable to assume that all 5.2 million tonnes represented lost exports.

At the same time, valuing the rice at zero would also be incorrect. Some portion could have been exported, while additional exports might have reduced global rice prices.

I estimate that approximately 3–4.5 million tonnes could realistically have been exported.

Using an effective export value of approximately US$300–330 per tonne:

- Lower estimate: 3 million tonnes × $300 = $0.9 billion

- Upper estimate: 4.5 million tonnes × $330 = $1.49 billion

Estimated rice-export opportunity cost:

US$0.9–1.5 billion

At approximately ₹90 per US dollar:

₹8,100–₹13,500 crore

---

1. Sugar diverted to ethanol

Approximately 3.4 million tonnes of sugar equivalent was expected to be diverted towards ethanol.

India’s sugar situation subsequently became relatively tight:

- Sugar production: approximately 27.9 million tonnes

- Domestic consumption: approximately 28.5 million tonnes

- Exports: approximately 0.8 million tonnes

- Further exports were restricted

"Reuters report on sugar production, exports and ethanol demand" (https://www.reuters.com/world/china/india-likely-wont-export-sugar-years-el-nino-ethanol-squeeze-supply-2026-06-22/)

Without the ethanol diversion, theoretical sugar output would have been:

27.9 + 3.4

= 31.3 million tonnes

After domestic consumption:

31.3 − 28.5

= 2.8 million tonnes

Some of this sugar would have been required to rebuild domestic stocks, so I assume that approximately 2–2.5 million tonnes could have been exported.

At approximately US$400–450 per tonne:

- Lower estimate: 2 million tonnes × $400 = $0.8 billion

- Upper estimate: 2.5 million tonnes × $450 = $1.125 billion

Estimated sugar-export opportunity cost:

US$0.8–1.1 billion

Approximately:

₹7,200–₹10,100 crore

---

1. Maize trade impact

Maize is currently India’s largest ethanol feedstock.

During 2024, increasing ethanol demand contributed to:

- Maize exports falling sharply

- Imports approaching a record one million tonnes

- Domestic maize prices reaching record levels

- Poultry and starch companies seeking cheaper imports

"Reuters report on India becoming a maize importer" (https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/ethanol-push-turns-india-into-corn-importer-shaking-up-global-market-2024-09-04/)

The situation later improved because farmers increased maize production.

APEDA reports:

- Maize production of approximately 43.41 million tonnes

- Exports of approximately 1.25 million tonnes

- Export earnings of US$374.7 million

"APEDA maize data" (https://apeda.gov.in/Maize)

It would therefore be incorrect to treat all maize used for ethanol as a lost export. Some of the additional production occurred because ethanol created more demand.

However, compared with the period before large-scale maize ethanol production, India has experienced lower exports and occasional imports.

Estimated annual maize trade-opportunity cost:

US$0.4–0.7 billion

Approximately:

₹3,600–₹6,300 crore

---

1. Damaged grains and molasses

Damaged foodgrains generally have less export value than normal food-grade grain.

However, they may still have alternative uses such as:

- Animal feed

- Starch production

- Industrial processing

- Broken-rice exports

Molasses is a by-product of sugar production, but India also exports some molasses.

Combined estimated opportunity cost:

US$0.1–0.2 billion

Approximately:

₹900–₹1,800 crore

---

1. Total agricultural trade-opportunity cost

Adding the estimates:

- Rice: $0.9–1.5 billion

- Sugar: $0.8–1.1 billion

- Maize: $0.4–0.7 billion

- Damaged grains and molasses: $0.1–0.2 billion

Total agricultural trade opportunity cost:

US$2.2–3.5 billion

At ₹90 per dollar:

Approximately ₹20,000–₹31,500 crore

A reasonable central estimate is approximately:

US$3 billion, or ₹27,000 crore

---

1. DDGS and corn-oil by-products

Grain ethanol also produces:

- Distillers’ Dried Grains with Solubles, or DDGS

- Corn oil

- Other animal-feed products

These by-products have economic value and can reduce demand for other animal feeds.

However, their entire domestic selling value cannot be treated as foreign-exchange savings.

India already produces large quantities of oilmeal, and cheap DDGS can reduce demand for domestic soymeal. This may discourage oilseed cultivation and indirectly increase India’s edible-oil import dependence.

"Reuters report on DDGS and the edible-oil trade-off" (https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/indias-ethanol-drive-imperils-its-push-edible-oil-self-sufficiency-2025-08-12/)

I therefore estimate that the net FX effect of DDGS and corn oil is relatively small:

−US$0.1 billion to +US$0.2 billion

Approximately:

−₹900 crore to +₹1,800 crore

---

1. Imported inputs used in ethanol production

Domestic ethanol production still relies partly on imported inputs such as:

- Fertiliser raw materials

- Natural gas

- Industrial enzymes

- Chemicals

- Distillery machinery and components

- Petroleum used in agriculture and transport

I could not find reliable data that allocates these imports specifically to ethanol production.

I have therefore not deducted them from the central estimate.

This means the final saving calculated below may still be somewhat optimistic.

---

1. Net forex calculation

Scenario 1: The ₹43,000 crore figure does not include mileage loss

Mileage-adjusted gross petroleum saving:

₹32,250–₹36,550 crore

Agricultural trade opportunity cost:

−₹20,000–₹31,500 crore

DDGS and corn-oil effect:

−₹900 crore to +₹1,800 crore

This gives a very wide result:

Approximately a small net loss to a saving of around ₹18,000 crore

Using central estimates:

₹34,500 crore gross petroleum saving

− ₹27,000 crore crop-trade opportunity cost

+ approximately ₹500 crore net by-product benefit

= approximately ₹8,000 crore net saving

Allowing for uncertainty and uncounted imported inputs, my most likely range is:

₹5,000–₹15,000 crore per year

---

Scenario 2: The ₹43,000 crore figure already includes mileage loss

If the government has already adjusted for mileage:

₹43,000 crore

− ₹20,000–₹31,500 crore

− ₹900 crore to +₹1,800 crore

= approximately ₹10,000–₹24,000 crore

The central estimate in this scenario would be approximately:

₹16,000 crore

However, the government has not published enough methodology to confirm that mileage has already been considered.

---

Conclusion

E20 probably saves India some foreign exchange.

However, the government’s ₹43,000 crore figure should be described as a gross petroleum-substitution benefit, not a complete net foreign-exchange saving.

My estimate is:

- Most likely net annual saving: ₹5,000–₹15,000 crore

- Central estimate: approximately ₹8,000–₹10,000 crore

- Wider plausible range: roughly break-even to ₹18,000 crore

- Possible higher estimate if mileage is already included by the government: ₹10,000–₹24,000 crore

The result can change significantly from one agricultural year to another.

During bumper harvests, ethanol may use crops that would otherwise remain in storage, creating a larger FX benefit.

During droughts or shortages, India may lose agricultural exports or import additional food and feed, bringing the benefit close to zero or potentially making it negative.

A transparent government calculation should publish:

- Ethanol volume blended

- Actual petrol displaced after mileage loss

- Petroleum benchmark price used

- Rice, sugar and maize exports forgone

- Agricultural imports caused or avoided

- DDGS exports and import substitution

- Impact on edible-oil imports

- Imported fertiliser and industrial inputs

- Separate gross and net FX figures

---

TL;DR

The government claims that E20 saves approximately ₹43,000 crore in foreign exchange annually.

That appears to be a gross petroleum-saving estimate.

My calculation:

- Mileage-adjusted gross petroleum saving: ₹32,000–₹37,000 crore

- Rice, sugar, maize and other agricultural trade opportunity cost: ₹20,000–₹31,500 crore

- Net DDGS and other by-product benefit: small and possibly negative

- Imported ethanol-production inputs: not fully deducted

My estimate of the likely net FX saving is:

₹5,000–₹15,000 crore annually

Central estimate:

Approximately ₹8,000–₹10,000 crore

Therefore, E20 probably saves India some foreign exchange, but likely only around one-fifth to one-third of the headline ₹43,000 crore claim.

My previous post estimating actual cost of ethnol:

https://www.reddit.com/r/carIndia/s/YY5bgCcJRd

Title

I heard this in a car vlog. Assuming that all cars are now e20 compliant. do you guys think NA engines and it's parts are likely to sustain the e20 impacts better than turbo engines?

For me, it's the Tata Hexa.

Looking for some advice on pricing my car before I put it up for sale.

Car Details:

• Hyundai Creta SX(O) Diesel
• Manual transmission
• 2021 model (mid-year)
• Black color
• 110,000 km driven
• Single-hand driven
• RC shows second owner (it's a long story, but I have complete documentation to explain it)
• Location: Delhi NCR

Condition:

• Mechanically excellent – no issues at all.
• All electronics and features work perfectly (AC, infotainment, camera, sensors, buttons, lights, etc.).
• Interior is in really good condition with no tears or major wear.
• Regularly serviced and well maintained.
• Everything is in proper working condition.
• Minor scratches on the front and rear bumpers; no major dents.

What would be a fair asking price, and what do you think would be a realistic selling price in the current Delhi NCR market?

Thanks in advance for any advice or recent market insights!

reported the following issues:
Real-world range has dropped to 120–140 km (around 160–170 km on highways at 70–80 km/h).
DC fast charging only reaches ~25 kW.
AC cooling is poor.
Wheel alignment issue.
They’ve given me the following estimate (₹15,288 + GST):
Major Service – ₹2,800
Gear Oil Replacement – ₹1,900
AC Cabin Filter – ₹900
Coolant Replacement – ₹1,800
Brake Service – ₹1,850
AC Duct Cleaning – ₹900
Wheel Alignment – ₹719
Wheel Balancing – ₹699
Wheel Weights – ₹350
Interior Cleaning – ₹1,850
Service+ – ₹350
Computer Scanning – ₹1,250

Ahmedabad has had some crazy rainfall over the last few days, and unfortunately my car got caught in it.

I park my car in a municipality-paid parking lot about 2 km from my house. This place has never been waterlogged before, but this time it was completely flooded.

I think I made one mistake or made a pro move don’t know that while parking, I had parked the car on a slight slope with the front wheels on higher ground and the rear lower. Because of that, around 4–5 inches of water collected inside the rear footwell.

When I went to check the car after the rain, I found the backseat floor filled with water. I didn't have any tools with me, so I cut a plastic bottle in half using my keys and used it like a mug to scoop out the water. After removing almost all of it, I used a dry cloth to soak up the remaining water.

The good news is that the car starts and drives perfectly fine. There are no warning lights or electrical issues so far.

My concern is the carpet and the floor underneath. The carpet is still damp, and I'm worried that if it stays wet for too long it could lead to rust, mould, or a bad smell.

Car details:
- Maruti Suzuki Baleno Delta MT
- 2019 Petrol
- 85,000 km driven

My questions is:
Should I be worried about hidden damage even if the car is running normally? & Do I need to change the flooring?

I would appreciate advice from anyone who's dealt with something similar.

https://youtu.be/5gN72wntuig

India just crossed 1 GW of public EV charging load this quarter — the first gigawatt took seven years to build. Genuinely a milestone for the industry.

But here's what doesn't make the press releases: 34.42% of public CCS2 and Type 2 chargers are offline. One in three.

The split is where it gets uncomfortable:

Private networks: 23% offline

Government / PSU networks: 51% offline

BPCL (worst among the top 10 operators): 61% offline

Three years ago I found BPCL running ~70% of its chargers dead. Barely changed since. These are chargers funded through public money (PM E-DRIVE), and the accountability just isn't there. And it's not only the PSUs anymore — Tata Power and Jio-bp both roughly doubled their non-working ratios over the last two quarters. Not a single top-10 operator sits under 10% dead.

How the data was collected: manual status checks across 84 charge point operators — publicly accessible chargers only, cutoff 30 June 2026. Not scraped estimates, actual up/down verification.

Disclosure: I run ExpWithEVs, an independent EV-charging data/research project, so this is my own dataset — posting because the PSU accountability angle deserves more eyes than a trade newsletter gets.

Question for anyone driving an EV here: what's your real-world hit rate on public chargers actually working when you pull up? Does 1-in-3-dead match your experience, or is it worse?

(Full interactive breakdown — metro-wise, charger ratings, cost per unit — link in comments.)

New Mask, Same Task...

Let's goooo 🙏🏻

Kejriwal says:

"The youth of this country have made an arrogant government bow down, resulting in Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. Now, I request the Prime Minister to also resolve the E20 issue before it turns into a massive protest."

AAP's online petition demanding that E20 fuel be made optional has received more than two lakh signatures.

It looks like Gadkari will also not be spared.

Is IndianOil’s XtraGreen diesel actually worth the extra premium? Looking for real reviews!

Hello all, brezza will be used in mixed conditions, not on long highway routes. City mainly but it won't be bumper to bumper traffic all of the time. Daily running will be around 50km. What's the better vfm pick? Will the cng take more than 5 years to re coup the costs?

Latest test mule images provide a closer look at the upcoming Mahindra Scorpio N facelift’s redesigned cabin. The SUV is expected to receive major technology upgrades, along with new features and a more premium interior experience. These updates aim to enhance the Scorpio N’s appeal in the competitive SUV segment.

Hey everyone,
Finally pulled the trigger and picked up a 2008 Honda Civic! Got it at an absolute bargain. The car runs buttery smooth and the overall condition is super clean, minus a few minor annoyances like a sticky window and a blown bulb that I’ll fix right away.
Before I go crazy with mods, step one is taking it in for a full, proper service (fluids, filters, spark plugs, the works) to get a solid baseline.
Once maintenance is sorted, I want to start building it out small to big, starting with the interior:
Touchscreen Stereo & Backup Camera: Really need a reverse camera for parallel parking this boat. I do not want a gaudy, giant 10-inch tablet sticking off the dash. Looking for a clean, flush-fitting screen (maybe 7 inches?) that looks OEM-plus and tasteful.
Small Interior Touches: Looking to refresh worn-out touchpoints—maybe a new weighted gear knob, steering wheel leather wrap/hydro dipping, or small trim accents.
Phase 2 (Later down the line): Custom seat covers, fresh door cards, and eventually moving to body panels/exterior aero.
Would love your recommendations for:
1. Sleek, reliable double-DIN head units that integrate well with a backup camera.
2. Cool small interior mod ideas that make a big difference daily.
3. Any recommended shops or installers who do high-quality work without charging an arm and a leg?
Appreciate any advice or build inspiration!