The C-Voter snap poll found that 55.1 per cent of respondents would prefer not to fill their vehicles with petrol containing 20 per cent ethanol. Only 17.1 per cent supported using the blend, while the remainder were undecided.
Opposition was also visible among supporters of the ruling National Democratic Alliance. About 52.5 per cent of NDA voters said they would not choose E20, compared with 18.1 per cent who were willing to use it. Among Opposition supporters, rejection rose to 57.9 per cent.
The findings underline a growing gap between the Centre’s assurances and public confidence in the fuel programme. The government maintains that E20 has been introduced after laboratory testing, field trials and consultations with vehicle manufacturers, fuel-testing organisations and oil marketing companies.
Consumer anxiety remains centred on performance. The poll found that 52.8 per cent believed E20 reduces vehicle mileage, including 51.2 per cent of NDA voters. About 54.2 per cent believed the blend damages most vehicles, while another 14.3 per cent said it could harm only certain models.
Only 10.9 per cent said E20 does not cause vehicle damage.
The survey, conducted through telephone interviews on July 8 and 9, covered 1,641 adults across districts in all states. It carried a margin of error of three percentage points at the national level and five percentage points for smaller demographic groups.
The strongest message from respondents was a demand for consumer choice. Nearly 76 per cent wanted fuel stations to sell both E20 and lower-ethanol or regular petrol. Support for such an option stood at 72.4 per cent among NDA voters.
About 74.5 per cent also said E20 should cost less than conventional petrol. Ethanol has a lower energy content than petrol, although it has a higher octane rating. Even at a reduced price, however, only 40.8 per cent said they would switch to the blended fuel, while 40.4 per cent remained unwilling.
The government has acknowledged that some vehicles may suffer a three to five per cent reduction in fuel economy. Earlier technical assessments indicated that the decline could reach six to seven per cent in certain four-wheelers designed for lower ethanol blends and three to four per cent in some two-wheelers.
Officials argue that the mileage loss must be weighed against cleaner combustion, reduced crude oil imports, lower lifecycle carbon emissions and increased demand for agricultural feedstocks. Ethanol production uses sugarcane juice, molasses, maize, broken rice and other approved materials.
The blending programme has saved more than ₹1.4 lakh crore in foreign exchange by reducing crude oil imports, while domestic ethanol production capacity has expanded to nearly 20 billion litres. About 11 billion litres are required annually to sustain nationwide E20 supplies.
The Centre has also cited field experience from vehicle manufacturers. Maruti Suzuki serviced 2.84 crore vehicles during 2025-26, including about 1.5 crore older vehicles that were not certified specifically for E20, without identifying widespread corrosion, abnormal wear or shortened component life linked to the fuel.
No broad pattern of engine failure or vehicle breakdown attributable to E20 has been documented. Manufacturers have said warranties remain valid, although owners continue to seek clearer model-specific guidance for vehicles designed when E10 was the standard.
That uncertainty has revived scrutiny of the 2021 ethanol-blending roadmap. During consultations, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers sought continued availability of E10 as a protection-grade fuel for older vehicles. It warned that withdrawing E10 could create material-compatibility, fuel-efficiency, drivability and safety concerns across the existing fleet.
Testing cited in the roadmap found no severe engine malfunction, abnormal component wear or deterioration of engine oil. It nevertheless identified possible degradation of some rubber and plastic fuel-system components in vehicles not designed for higher ethanol concentrations.
E20-compatible vehicles began entering the market widely from April 2023, while the blend was introduced at selected fuel outlets from February that year. Average ethanol blending rose from about 8.1 per cent in 2020-21 to 14.6 per cent in 2023-24, 19.2 per cent in 2024-25 and 20 per cent during the current ethanol supply year.
