'Ethanol-Free' Petrol Costs 160 Rupees Per Liter: The Price Of Protecting Your Car's Engine!
The government of India is intensifying its focus on curbing vehicular pollution. Using cleaner fuel is expected to play a key role in this. The country is now inching towards achieving 20% Ethanol blending ( also known as E20) in petrol. If you're wondering, there is one type of petrol that stays clear of 'Ethanol blending', and it is an expensive choice! Yes, we are talking about some premium-grade, high-octane petrol brands like the XP100 and Power100. Talking of prices, both these cost around Rs 160 per litre.
For the uninitiated, the XP100 is manufactured and marketed by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) while the Power100 is sold by HPCL. Both these have zero percent Ethanol content (E0).
These are premium-grade, high-octane petrol brands. The octane number of petrol shows the fuel's ability to resist engine knocking during combustion. A high octane number brings about smoother combustion and better performance. High-octane petrol is designed for use in sports cars and high-performance vehicles. Both XP100 and Power100 are claimed to lower emissions and engine deposits as well.
Ethanol blending is claimed to clean the tailpipe emissions, but at the cost of performance. It wouldn't make much sense to do ethanol blending in fuels that have been engineered for high-performance vehicles, which already claim cleaner emissions and better combustion. This could probably be the reason that high-octane petrol often stays clear of this additive.
In terms of price, these cost at least Rs 57 more than the regular petrol in Mumbai. At the time of writing this article, a litre of normal petrol has a price of Rs 103 in Mumbai. The user crowd of these often do not mind paying the premium.
IOCL launched the XP100 in December 2020. In the years that followed, we saw rapid adoption, especially from people who own high-end vehicles like supercars and superbikes. Most users say that the XP100 gives them significant performance boosts. HP, on the other hand, launched the PoWer100 in 2021, to cater to the growing demand for high-octane petrol in the country.
Ethanol Content In Petrol: What Is The Current Picture?
In India, the standard petrol has an Octane number of 91. As of now, 91 Octane petrol is blended with 10% ethanol. The 95 Octane XP petrol sold by IOCL has five percent Ethanol content. The Speed 97 sold by Bharat Petroleum Ltd contains 5-10% Ethanol in it.
E20: India's Alternative Fuel Ambitions
E20 petrol (petrol with 20% Ethanol content) is now becoming increasingly popular. Most of the new cars, SUVs and two-wheelers sold today are E20-compliant. However, Ethanol blending adversely affects the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.
The use of E20 petrol often brings about a marginal reduction in the vehicle's real-world mileage. This usually amounts to 7-8 percent. Old engines aren't compatible with Ethanol-Blended petrol. Using E20 fuel in these can even get them damaged.
In E20-compliant engines, on the other hand, Ethanol Blended Petrol delivers smooth performance and clean combustion. It is claimed to lower the stress on the engine unit.
Ethanol is a biofuel which is of key significance in India's alternative fuel aspirations. It is expected to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
India's push for E20 fuel also seems to be an initiative to support Indian farmers, and in the long run, give the economy a boost. Wondering how? In India, Ethanol is made through the fermentation of sugar. The affordable nature of its manufacturing is also expected to stabilise fuel prices in the time ahead.