India's E20 ethanol fuel: Toyota exec says it is safe for all vehicles, boosts farmer income and energy security

Toyota Kirloskar Motor's Vikram Gulati says India's E20 ethanol blend is safe for all vehicles sold after April 2023 and can help reduce crude imports while supporting farmer incomes. The program has saved 1.9 trillion rupees so far, with 160,000 crore going directly to farmers. Gulati calls ethanol a carbon neutral fuel because CO2 released during combustion is reabsorbed by growing plants. Gulati addressed common myths about E20. He cited an ARAI study showing minimal risk to older vehicles and said mileage loss is only 2-4%. He also defended ethanol plant pollution standards, calling them zero effluent operations. The interview frames E20 as a practical step for India's energy security and climate goals, though questions remain about scaling feedstock and land use trade offs.