KNOW ABOUT ETHANOL BLENDING (E20 Fuel)

E20 fuel is a mix of 20% ethanol and 80% gasoline. Ethanol is a renewable biofuel usually made from plants like corn, sugarcane, molasses, wheat, waste grains, rice stubble and rice husks. Ethanol is one of the principal biofuels which will not only help India strengthen its energy security but will help the environment by supporting renewable energy, cutting down on carbon footprint, and reduced dependencies on fossil fuels.

MoRT&H notified GSR 156(E) on 8th March, 2021 for adoption of E20 fuel as automotive fuel and issued mass emission standards for it. BS-VI emission norms, in effect since 1st April, 2020, are applicable to E-20 vehicles. MoRT&H has also notified safety standards for ethanol blended fuels vide GSR 343(E) dated 25th May, 2021 on the basis of Automotive Industry Standard (AIS 171). It lays down safety requirements for type approval of pure ethanol, flex-fuel and ethanol-gasoline blended vehicles in India. Ethanol blended fuels such as E10 or E20 have BIS (Bureau of India Standards) specifications and are certified by OMC (Oil Marketing Co). This cleaner and sustainable fuel aligns with India’s goal to achieve E20 fuel availability pan India by 2025.

As of 1st April, 2023, Hero MotoCorp modified all its vehicle materials to be E20 compliant and started producing fully E20 compliant vehicles by 1st April, 2025.

MODIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR MAKING VEHICLE E20 COMPATIBLE

In order to use higher ethanol blends, the vehicles are supposed to be designed holistically to take care of material compatibility, engine tuning (spark timing) and optimization (compression 7 ratio) for efficient use of ethanol blended fuels.

• The Engine-Fuel Injection System needs to be tested and calibrated to achieve optimum performance with E20 Fuel. Certain sensor modifications are also needed to enable the FI system to precisely control the E20 Fuel-Air ratio.
• The material composition such as rubbers, elastomers and plastic components that are directly exposed to fuel also need to be changed to E20 compatible materials.

BENEFITS OF E20 FUEL:

• The Engine-Fuel Injection System needs to be tested and calibrated to achieve optimum performance with E20 Fuel. Certain sensor modifications are also needed to enable the FI system to precisely control the E20 Fuel-Air ratio.
• Eco-friendly, Renewable and Cleaner Fuel – Ethanol, a primary constituent of E20, is a bio-fuel that is derived from renewable resources and helps in significantly lowering the vehicular emissions and carbon footprint. This characteristic makes E20 a more environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to conventional gasoline.
• Reduced dependence on fossil fuels and lower import costs – About 98% of the fuel requirement in the road transportation sector is currently met by fossil fuels and only the remaining 2% by biofuels. Currently, India imports 85% of its crude oil requirement which results in high dependency on other countries while leading to a significant loss of foreign exchange.
• Long-term energy security and support to agriculture sector - Biofuel development from crops such as corn and sugarcane supports long-term energy security and provides farmers with additional income, enhancing the economic sustainability of agricultural communities. It can also help generate employment and promote Make in India, Swachh Bharat, doubling of farmers’ incomes and promote Waste to Wealth generation.
• Higher Octane Rating - Lower chances of engine knocking - The Octane rating of ethanol is higher than gasoline, thus engines designed for E20 fuel can be tuned with a higher compression ratio leading to increased thermal efficiency and power output.

IMPACT ON OLDER VEHICLES

Despite numerous advantages of ethanol-blended fuels, using E20 on non-compliant/older vehicles may lead to several disadvantages.

Older vehicles, manufactured prior to April 2023, may require modifications in the Engine-Fuel system for it to be tuned to run efficiently on E20 fuel. Certain rubber, elastomers and plastic components (like gasket, O-rings, Fuel Tube etc.) may need to be replaced for prolonged usage with new parts made with E20 compatible materials.

• Impact on Mileage - Due to the lower energy content of ethanol compared to gasoline, customers may experience a decrease in fuel efficiency when using E20 fuel. However, with the modifications in engines (hardware and tuning), the loss in efficiency due to blended fuel can be reduced.
• Corrosive nature of Ethanol - Lower % of Ethanol has a tendency to attract moisture from the atmosphere and is therefore more corrosive in nature to several components that are in direct contact with the fuel.

KEY POINTS OF CAUTION (DO's & DON'Ts)

• Ensure the vehicle is E20 compliant before using the fuel. Always fill up the fuel at reputable and recognized petrol pumps to avoid contaminated fuel.
• Owners of vehicles manufactured before April 2023 should contact an authorized Hero workshop to get the related rubber and plastic parts (O-rings, washer, gasket) replaced in case of any deterioration. Using an old vehicle in AS-IS condition with E20 fuel may result in premature deterioration of these components and prolonged usage may lead to fuel leak and other performance related issues.
• BS4/BS3 vehicles (manufactured before April, 2020) may require re-tuning or calibration of the carburetor for optimum Air-Fuel mixture leading to optimum performance.
• Since E20 fuel is hygroscopic in nature and attracts moisture from the atmosphere, consumers must:
  • Take extreme care while washing vehicle/during rainy season to avoid water entry in fuel tank. Ensure fuel cap is always properly and tightly closed.
  • If a vehicle is required to be parked for a prolonged duration (more than a month), the fuel tank must be drained completely to avoid any damage to Fuel Pump/Fuel Tank and battery terminal must be disconnected before parking.