With the rollout of E20 petrol across India, questions about ethanol blending and its presence in different fuel grades have resurfaced. Many car buyers remain curious, does premium petrol still contain less ethanol, or are all grades now E20-compliant?
What is E20 petrol?
E20 petrol is a fuel blend containing 20% ethanol and 80% gasoline. Ethanol blending is part of the government’s push to reduce vehicular emissions, curb fossil fuel dependency, and promote cleaner mobility.
Are all petrol grades now E20?
Contrary to popular belief, recent clarifications from oil companies reveal that premium petrol grades are also E20-compliant. While brands like Hindustan Petroleum’s Power 95, Indian Oil’s XP95 and XP99, Bharat Petroleum’s Speed 97, and Shell’s V-Power were previously thought to contain lower ethanol blends (E10 or E15), reports indicate that all of these now contain 20% ethanol. Only ultra-premium 100-octane fuels, such as XP100 and Power 100, remain virtually ethanol-free.
Even though regular E20 petrol now offers 95 octane, premium fuels are not redundant. According to industry sources, higher-grade petrol still contains special additives that protect engines from corrosion and maintain long-term performance, making them preferable for certain vehicles and driving conditions.
Is there any ethanol-free petrol?
An RTI enquiry revealed that while Indian Oil XP95 contains 20% ethanol, XP100 and Hindustan Petroleum Power 100 are the only petroleum-based fuel with 0% ethanol.
While the notion that premium petrol contains significantly less ethanol persists, the reality is clear that E20 is now standard across nearly all petrol grades, leaving only 100-octane fuels outside this mix.
