E100 Fuel in India | Game Changer or Hidden Risk? | NEXT IAS

Added: 2026-05-06

[00:00:00]So, what if I told you soon Indian cars may not run on petrol or diesel? The government has proposed recognizing E100 fuel, that is 100% ethanol, as an approved automotive fuel, paving the way for vehicles that run entirely on ethanol. Ethanol is an alcohol-based fuel made from crops like sugarcane.

[00:00:21]Till now, it was blended with petrol like E20, but now it could become a primary fuel. But, why is India doing this? To reduce crude oil imports, to boost farmers' income, and promote cleaner energy. And to enable this shift, vehicle rules are being updated to allow certification of E100 vehicles, making large-scale production possible.

[00:00:43]But, there are certain concerns. [music] E20 has already raised issues like lower fuel efficiency, higher maintenance cost, and no major reduction in fuel prices. And moving fully to ethanol raises a bigger question, food versus fuel, since ethanol is derived from agricultural crops. So, can India afford this shift to E100? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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