Toyota Kirloskar Motor's Vikram Gulati says India's E20 ethanol program is safe for all vehicles sold after April 2023 and helps reduce crude imports, support farmer incomes, and cut carbon emissions. The program has saved 1.9 trillion rupees so far, with 160,000 crore rupees going directly to farmers. Gulati calls ethanol carbon neutral because the CO2 released during combustion is reabsorbed by the plants used to produce it. Gulati addressed common myths about E20 fuel. He said an ARAI study found no significant damage to older vehicles and that mileage loss is only 2-4%. He also said ethanol plants operate as zero-effluent units and reuse by-products like bagasse. The article frames ethanol as a practical bridge fuel for India's energy transition, though it does not address land use or net energy balance questions that critics often raise.
