Gadkari 'Motorists Can't Accurately Measure E20 Fuel Mileage'

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has defended the government's ethanol-blended petrol programme, saying individual motorists cannot accurately measure their vehicles' fuel efficiency and should rely on tests conducted by authorised dealers. 

Speaking in an interview with media on Monday, Gadkari responded to concerns over E20 petrol after a journalist claimed that the mileage of her 2023-model car had dropped significantly in city driving following the switch to the government-mandated fuel.

The



journalist said her vehicle's fuel efficiency had declined from around 11 km per litre to 7 km per litre and that the reading was based on the mileage displayed on the car's dashboard. Questioning the accuracy of such estimates, Gadkari said ordinary car owners are not equipped to scientifically measure fuel efficiency.

"You and I can't check the mileage. A car's mileage can only be checked using manufacturer-authorised testing equipment at authorised dealers," he said, adding that dashboard readings or personal calculations should not be treated as definitive.