[TusharK]

In addition to promoting electric vehicles, the government of India is also pushing car makers to switch to alternate fuels. By April 2023, manufacturers are required to have engines that can run on E20 fuel.



According to a media report, Maruti Suzuki’s entire model range will be compatible with E20 fuel from March next year. At present, the company manufactures engines that can run on E10 or 10% ethanol-blended fuel. To make them E20 compatible, Maruti will have to re-calibrate the powertrains to partially compensate for the drop in fuel efficiency.

Maruti Suzuki also expects E20 fuel to be offered at subsidised rates to balance the rise in average trip cost due to the drop in fuel efficiency.

Earlier this month, Toyota showcased India’s first flex-fuel-powered hybrid vehicle. The Corolla Altis Hybrid uses a 1.8-litre engine that develops 101 BHP and 142.2 Nm. It is paired with a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor and a 1.3 kWh battery pack. The electric motor has an output of 72 BHP and 162.8 Nm, and the hybrid powertrain is mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Maruti is also said to be working on E85-compatible engines but hasn't revealed their launch timeline.

Source: Car and Bike

Link to Team-BHP News

[giri1.8]

Will normal fuel be still available or is it better to wait till March to make petrol car purchase?

[Mustang_Boss]

To be honest, the current MS cars (most of them),

- The fuel tank is made of plastic.
- The fuel pump is mostly Aluminium + Rubber.
- The fuel lines are rubber + Aluminium (guess).
- The engine block and head are made of aluminium.

So, The current crop of cars do support alternate fuels, as no components could rust. Would someone clarify what they are going to change?

The CNG ones come with iron head i guess or a thicker aluminium block and this might have to be changed to support higher ethanol fuels.

[saurabh041086]

As someone who is planning to buy one from the last stock of Urban Cruiser. Will they be able to update the current cars as well to be E20 compliant?

[aim120]

Originally Posted by Mustang_Boss

To be honest, the current MS cars (most of them),

- The fuel tank is made of plastic.
- The fuel pump is mostly Aluminium + Rubber.
- The fuel lines are rubber + Aluminium (guess).
- The engine block and head are made of aluminium.

So, The current crop of cars do support alternate fuels, as no components could rust. Would someone clarify what they are going to change?

The CNG ones come with iron head i guess or a thicker aluminium block and this might have to be changed to support higher ethanol fuels.

Aluminium, rubber, brass, steel either rust or disintegrate.
Only certain kind of alloy is E20 compatible.

Ethanol by itself doesn't damage much but when ethanol is mixed with petrol, it damages the metals. Certain rubber components expand.

[Djay]

Originally Posted by aim120

Aluminium, rubber, brass, steel either rust or disintegrate. Only certain kind of alloy is E20 compatible.

Ethanol by itself doesn't damage much but when ethanol is mixed with petrol, it damages the metals. Certain rubber components expand.

In this case would it make more sense to buy a car before engines are shifted to E20? To avoid the risk of any damage due to higher blend of ethanol (even for E20 compatible engines). I assume E10 fuel will anyways have to be sold alongside for the near future to support all earlier vehicles.

These continuously changing fuel requirements are a real headache for vehicle owners

[Black_Star]

Originally Posted by giri1.8

Will normal fuel be still available or is it better to wait till March to make petrol car purchase?

Normal fuel will still be available in the foreseen future, this is just Maruti planning ahead of the curve. It will take time E20 fuel to be fully available, according to NITI Aayog phased rollout of E20 will start from from April 2023, its availability by April 2025. And have advised production of E20-tuned engine vehicles from April 2025.

Originally Posted by saurabh041086

As someone who is planning to buy one from the last stock of Urban Cruiser. Will they be able to update the current cars as well to be E20 compliant?

It may be possible but highly unlikely that manufactures themselves will take on such task.

[ramotra3]

Quoting the article https://www.carandbike.com/news/maru...h-2023-3203102,
"In 2025 when E20 fuel becomes available in pan India, then also we'll also switch over and we'll do the calibration with the e20 fuel. Going forward we'll also be working on CBG and see how we can leverage that because we already have CNG vehicles, and CBG can be easily adopted."

1. So, if someone buys a E20 compliant car in April 2023, he has to get the car recalibrated in 2025? How would they do it, ECU update?
2. What is CBG?
3. Is it better to get a "E20 material compliant" car in a few months for better long term reliability?
4. E20 compliant cars can handle 1% to 20% ethanol blending, right?

[anjan_c2007]

The next Bhargava team led agenda for the MoRTH will be like :-

"ban all cars that are non 20% ethanol compliant. Ethanol E10 petrol reduces CO2 in emissions by 20% and E 20 shall reduce it by 40%. Humans and animals on city roads will breathe the same fresh air, as folks in the Amazon rain forests do".

The moot question is when will the Bhargava team say that all their cars will be NCAP/ BVSAP FIVE STAR SAFETY complaint?

[el lobo 6061]

E20 petrol will be available in select metro cities from 01 April 2023 and be PAN India from 01 April 2025.

I would suggest customer who are buying new cars to go for only E20 compatible cars. Since fuel lines and related components will be tolerant to it.

There wont be any need for recalibration as ECU will do it between E10 & E20 fuel.

What would be effect of E20 on E10 cars is yet to be seen in long term and no manufacturer will say anything about it. But for sure one will notice the difference much more compared to E10 petrol.

I doubt Govt will sell E10 fuel post 01 April 2025, since it be a problem to manage multiple petrol and we never saw Govt dispensing BS4 diesel for older cars. Everyone has to use BS6 diesel only.

Lastly don't expect fuel prices to do down because 20% fuel is ethanol. Govt will hike taxes to cover it or say loss being recovered due to higher crude prices & USD/INR exchange during Russia-Ukraine crisis.

[sinhead]

Is E20 applicable to fuel like Xp95 also? or it is only for 91 octane petrol?

[giri1.8]

Not sure about other brands, but since their cars can already take E10 fuel, will they just need to retune their current engines to run E20?

[superbad]

Originally Posted by Mustang_Boss

To be honest, the current MS cars (most of them),

- The fuel tank is made of plastic.
- The fuel pump is mostly Aluminium + Rubber.
- The fuel lines are rubber + Aluminium (guess).
- The engine block and head are made of aluminium.

So, The current crop of cars do support alternate fuels, as no components could rust. Would someone clarify what they are going to change?

The CNG ones come with iron head i guess or a thicker aluminium block and this might have to be changed to support higher ethanol fuels.

I believe it is not just corrosion of components, but also the combustion of fuel in the engine, re calibration of ECU to compensate for the lower combustibility of doped fuel as opposed to pure petrol etc.

[Mustang_Boss]

Originally Posted by superbad

I believe it is not just corrosion of components, but also the combustion of fuel in the engine, re calibration of ECU to compensate for the lower combustibility of doped fuel as opposed to pure petrol etc.

Suzuki already has so many options of maps for its current crop of engines. all they need is to push the needed map. Its just software, so no component changes are needed other than installation the new update by the service center.

All I meant was, the current crop of cars already are good to support alternate blends of fuel. So, why such hoopla for a minor change.

[superbad]

Originally Posted by Mustang_Boss

Suzuki already has so many options of maps for its current crop of engines. all they need is to push the needed map. Its just software, so no component changes are needed other than installation the new update by the service center.

All I meant was, the current crop of cars already are good to support alternate blends of fuel. So, why such hoopla for a minor change.

My 2017 petrol Ciaz's manual states that max 10% ethanol blend may be used, so definitely there should be some issue with 20% blend.