0 months ago
SIAM Withdraws Letter Flagging E20 Fuel Contamination Concerns
Cars in India can use a special fuel called E20, which mixes ethanol made from plants with petrol.
A group called SIAM, which represents car makers, wrote a letter to the government saying some cars had problems after using this fuel.
They said the fuel sometimes had too much chloride, which is like salt, and too much water mixed in.
These things can damage car parts like fuel pumps, fuel injectors, and valves.
Some broken parts looked rusty or worn out because of the chloride.
SIAM later took back the letter, saying some of the numbers in it were not checked carefully enough.
The government had already made a rule that ethanol in petrol must have very low amounts of chloride and sulphur.
Fuel stations now check for water many times each day.
SIAM says there is no reason to worry, since such issues have been solved before.
The E20 fuel is important to India because it helps reduce dependence on oil from other countries.
Auto body SIAM withdrew its letter to India's petroleum ministry that flagged E20 fuel contamination concerns.
The withdrawn letter cited high chloride content and excessive moisture in E20 fuel as causes of corrosion and wear in vehicle components.
SIAM said some figures in the letter needed authentication through data collection from various regions and consultation with member OEMs.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has instituted a 3 ppm guideline for chloride and sulphur in ethanol blended into petrol.
Oil marketing companies now conduct water ingress testing 8-12 times a day at over 87,000 fuel outlets.
- Who
- The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and India's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
- What
- SIAM withdrew a letter to the petroleum ministry that flagged concerns over chloride and moisture contamination in E20 fuel linked to vehicle component failures
- Where
- India, with the letter sent from New Delhi
- When
- The letter was sent on July 28 and was later withdrawn after media reports about its contents
- Why
- SIAM said some data in the communication required further authentication, while the ministry had already introduced precautionary measures such as a 3 ppm chloride/sulphur guideline
Fuel Quality Concerns
Reassurance and Vindication
E20 fuel contamination
Fuel Quality Concerns
SIAM's withdrawn letter said investigations showed corrosion and wear caused by high chloride levels, plus excessive moisture, leading to repairs and replacements of fuel pumps, injectors, and EGR valves.
Reassurance and Vindication
SIAM later said there is no cause for concern, as the ministry has set chloride/sulphur limits and oil marketing companies run frequent water ingress checks at over 87,000 outlets.
Validity of reported data
Fuel Quality Concerns
The letter cited significant repair cases and recommended stricter quality control and chloride limits in E20 fuel specifications.
Reassurance and Vindication
SIAM withdrew the communication, saying the numbers needed authentication through data collection from various regions and consultation with member OEMs before being relied upon.
Key facts
- Organization
- Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM)
- Recipient
- Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG)
- Letter Date
- July 28
- Main Concerns
- High chloride content and excessive moisture in E20 fuel
- Affected Components
- Fuel pumps, fuel injectors, and Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valves
- Chloride/Sulphur Guideline
- 3 ppm for ethanol blended into petrol
- Moisture Threshold
- Above 1% causes fuel separation and immediate vehicle paralysis after fuelling
- Water Ingress Checks
- 8-12 times a day at over 87,000 outlets and after each instance of rain
Quotes
Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM)
Indian auto industry body representing manufacturers
“"Some numbers quoted in the communication need authentication through collection of elaborate data from various regions across the country followed by a comprehensive consultation with our member OEMs."”
livemint.com
“The referred numbers reported in the media need authentication as mentioned above and therefore SIAM is withdrawing its earlier communication.”
deccanchronicle.com








