India's clean mobility push calls for ethanol, EVs and other alternatives

The Indian Federation of Green Energy argues that India's transition to cleaner transport requires a diversified strategy that includes ethanol blends, electric vehicles, hybrids, CNG and hydrogen, given the presence of almost 300 million gasoline-powered cars on its roads. According to IFGE, the E20 blend offers an immediate way to lessen dependence on imported crude, while EVs and other technologies are still expanding.

Studies from ARAI, Indian Oil and SIAM estimate that E20 reduces fuel efficiency by 2-6 percent compared with E10, yet engine damage has not been widely observed. The federation said newer models are built with ethanol-compatible components, and the main issues relate to older vehicles. India completed a nationwide rollout of E20 by April 2025 and is now moving toward higher blends, flex-fuel cars and second-generation ethanol. The ethanol program has reportedly saved over Rs 1.97 lakh crore in foreign exchange and substituted roughly 316 lakh metric tonnes of crude oil since the 2014-15 supply year.