By now, you might have already heard about the E20 fuel. Since 2023 the Indian government is pushing hard to make E20 fuel the standard fuel for all the petrol pumps. The government has even made it mandatory for all the car manufacturers to make E20 compliant cars by 2025. But what exactly is the E20 fuel?
E20 fuel is nothing but the mixture of petrol and ethanol. Petrol takes the higher stake with 80% whereas the percentage of ethanol has been increased from 10 to 20%. E20 compliance is not only important for the long life of your vehicle but it also determines its future resale value. Therefore, as a vehicle owner, you must ensure that the vehicle you are investing in is E20 compatible.
As all the brands have already upgraded their cars for the E20 fuel, new car owners need not worry a lot about it. However, the owners of old or second-hand cars must definitely get it checked. More details on how to check whether your car is E20 compatible or not along with the precautions to be taken for non-compliant cars are shared in the sections below.
What Does E20 Actually Have?: The Making Process
Like we said in the beginning, E20 has ethanol and petrol in 1:4 proportion. The ethanol used here is obtained from crops such as sugarcane, wheat, maize, and corn. As a biofuel, ethanol burns cleaner and reduces the tailpipe emissions. As the smoke and carbon emissions released from the vehicle are reduced, it helps the air remain healthier and more breathable.
However, the way ethanol behaves inside the vehicle is completely different. It is a powerful solvent that can eat away plastic and rubber parts fitted inside your bonnet. Moreover, it tends to attract water from the surroundings which can separate from the fuel to cause corrosion of the metallic fuel tank. New E20 compliant cars do not come with metallic tanks and have reinforced seals, filters, and fuel pipes that resist the degradation caused by ethanol. On the other hand, the old car owners must take special care of their vehicle to ensure its long life and smooth performance.
Degree of Risk Associated With Non-Compatible Cars
Technically, all the cars released after April 2023 are E20 compliant. This does not mean that the non-compatible cars will break down within a few days. Only the risk factor associated with these cars is higher. If you categorise the cars according to their year of production, you can easily determine the kind of risk associated with your non-compatible car. The below table sheds some insights into this:
| Year of Production | Compliance Status | Degree of Risk |
| 2023 onwards | E20 compatible with most engines carrying the E20 compliance certification from Automatic Research Association of India (ARAI) | Risk-free because the parts such as fuel filters, pipes, ECU, and fuel tanks are made from ethanol-resistant materials. |
| 2012 to 2023 | These cars are usually E10 compliant as E10 was the standard petrol during this period. | Moderately risky because even though the engine parts are not optimised for E20, they usually handle it with some upgrades and regular maintenance |
| Pre 2012 cars including the vintage ones | These cars are either compatible with pure petrol or E5 petrol. | Highly risky because of the metallic parts and natural rubber used in hoses and pipes |
Ways to Check E20 Compatibility of Your Car?
Many car owners are confused about the E20 compatibility status of their cars. Here are a few ways to check the E20 compatibility of your car:
- Go Through the Car Owner’s Manual
Every smallest detail of a car is recorded in its manual. Therefore, you need not worry about researching anywhere else if you’ve preserved the car manual. Go through the sessions, especially the sections where details about the fuel type is mentioned.
Usually, the manual says whether your car is compatible with a single or multiple fuel types. If the manual says that your car model is only compatible with E10 or E5, it means that it is not compatible with the E20 fuel.
- Inspect the Fuel Flap
The fuel flap of your car usually contains a sticker. This sticker usually contains labels like E20, E10, or E5. If E20 is written on this sticker, it indicates that your vehicle is compatible with the E20 petrol.
- Ask the Dealer
The authorised dealer of your car brand can also provide you the required information about your car. You just have to let them know the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) that was provided to you at the time of vehicle registration. Once the dealer gets this number, he will check whether the production batch to which your car belongs has the E20 upgrades or not.
The authorised dealers and service centres can also reveal the materials that were used to control the impact of ethanol on your vehicle’s engine and engine parts. They get this information with the help of the chassis number and other details of your vehicle.
- Check the Official Website
The official website of your car brand can also provide you with the E20 compatibility status for your specific car model. You can also get this information through the official newsletters and notifications released by the car manufacturer. The E20 compatibility status can be verified using the production year and model of the respective car brand.
Precautions to Take For Non-Compliant Cars
Don’t feel frustrated if your car is not E20 compatible. You can still follow some measures to maintain the condition and performance of your car. Here are some precautions that owners of non-compliant cars must take:
- Regular Servicing is a Must
E20 petrol degrades the rubber and plastic parts of your vehicle slowly. At the same time, it dissolves the rust and impurities of the fuel and deposits it in the fuel tank and fuel filters. These impurities not only degrade your vehicle’s performance but also damage the parts in the long run. Cleaning the fuel pipes, filters, gaskets, and tank during servicing and maintenance works can prevent this to a great extent.
- Avoid Idling the Cars
Modern cars have an engine idle start/stop function that activates automatically during idling. This feature is usually not available in the non-compliant cars. Car idling not only wastes the fuel but also the leftover fuel that does not burn tends to mix with the engine oil.
Over a period, the quality of the engine oil degrades and it does not protect your engine and engine parts as it used to do earlier. Therefore, if you are driving a non-compliant car, it is better to turn off the ignition when the car halts during signals or some other reasons. Also, you can start using the engine oil that is engineered to handle the E20 fuel.
- Do Not Keep the Fuel Tank Filled With E20 Fuel
If you drive rarely, filling-up the petrol tank with E20 fuel completely can cause harm. The non-compliant cars usually have metallic tanks. As the ethanol collects moisture from the humid air due to its hygroscopic nature, the water tends to separate from the fuel after some time.
If you don’t use your car during this period, the collected moisture will sink at the bottom of its fuel tank as water is denser than fuel. This accumulated moisture starts corroding the metal tank and wears it down faster than usual.
- Check Your Car’s Warranty
If your car is not compatible with the E20 petrol, the chances are high that the vehicle manufacturer will deny your warranty claim. Most car brands offer extended warranty for their cars at a higher cost. If your car is not covered under warranty, you can ask the dealer if they can provide an extended warranty even if your car is non E20 compatible. This can save you a lot of money during engine damage and replacements of the parts that are covered under warranty.
- Replace the ECU
The Electronic Control Unit (ECU) of E20 compatible cars are modified to maintain the right air fuel ratio in the fuel tank. This leads to a smooth power delivery and negates the chances of abrupt starts or stuttering while starting the car after a brief halt at the red light.
However, this can be a problem for the non-compatible cars. You can ask the service centre if they can replace the original ECU of your car with an E20 compatible ECU.
Related Blogs:
Toyota E20 Compatibility: Model-wise List & Warranty Notes
Renault E20 Compatibility: Model-wise List & Warranty Notes
Nissan E20 Compatibility: Model-wise List & Warranty Notes
Summary
These were a few things to follow for non-compliant cars. We hope you have understood how to check whether your car is compatible with the E20 fuel or not. Ideally, the non-compliant cars can be managed with a few tweaks and precautions. However, if your vehicle is too old, it is better to assess whether you should continue using it in the future or not. Second-hand cars that are also E20 compatible are easily available in the pre-owned car markets these days. At Spinny, you can explore these cars online and book a test drive online to check the car in your home conditions.
