Indian carmakers privately raised concerns over high levels of contaminants such as chloride and moisture in E20 ethanol-blended petrol, even as they publicly backed the government's nationwide fuel rollout. Internal emails and data reviewed by industry executives showed high chloride contamination in samples across 18 states alongside high moisture content, contradicting public assurances.
The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) withdrew a July 28 complaint sent to the government regarding fuel contamination following public and official uproar, stating that the communication was sent inadvertently and that "some numbers" needed authentication. Executives involved included representatives from Maruti, Tata and Mahindra, with Maruti senior executive Anoop Bhat raising concerns on high chloride findings on July 26.
The industry data tables revealed chloride levels ranging from 6 to 570 parts per million (ppm) in Rajasthan, 1.4 to 420 ppm in New Delhi, and 10 to 357 ppm in Maharashtra, significantly above the government's permissible limit of 3 ppm. Moisture levels reached 13,000 ppm in Andhra Pradesh and 12,500 ppm in Uttar Pradesh, compared to a government benchmark of 3,000 ppm.
The E20 rollout has sparked motorist complaints over reduced mileage and vehicle wear, alongside a court challenge. While the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas did not respond to requests for comment, Minister Hardeep Singh Puri stated that rigorous testing by oil marketing companies found only four contamination cases. Mahindra called conclusions from its executive's emails baseless and incorrect, while Maruti and Tata did not respond.