Ethanol-Blended Petrol (E20) Mandate rolls out nationwide with 95 RON default grade

Key facts

• The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoP&NG) mandated oil marketing companies to supply ethanol-blended petrol with up to 20 per cent ethanol content across all states and Union territories from 1 April 2026.
• The notification issued on 17 February 2026 under the Essential Commodities Act requires the fuel to meet Bureau of Indian Standards specifications with a minimum Research Octane Number of 95.
• E20 petrol consists of 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol, replacing the earlier E10 blend.
• Ethanol feedstock includes sugarcane, maize and other agricultural inputs.
• Vehicles manufactured after April 2023 are designed to run on E20 fuel, while older vehicles may require monitoring of fuel system components.
• Fuel efficiency may decline by around 3 to 7 per cent due to ethanol’s lower energy content compared with petrol.