New Delhi, July 8 — The Aam Aadmi Party has urged the central government to introduce co-existing fuel options at retail stations to protect older vehicle models from potential technical complications associated with E20-blended petrol. The appeal seeks the simultaneous availability of zero-ethanol and low-ethanol blends alongside the newly expanded national standard.
The focus of the proposal centers on an estimated 30 crore legacy vehicles currently operating on domestic roads, including 22 crore motorcycles and 8 crore cars manufactured prior to the mandatory manufacturing shifts of recent years. Under current guidelines, the higher ethanol blend became standard across the country’s 90,000 retail fuel stations this past April.
Party representatives declared that sudden fuel transitions place an unnecessary financial consideration on vehicle owners whose engines were originally calibrated for standard unleaded fuel. Tech documentation from older models often recommends reverting to unblended fuel if drivers notice changes in drivability.
“Every day, one lie after another is being told,” the AAP National Convenor asserted during his address, questioning the sudden acceleration of the program compared to longer implementation schedules seen abroad. “The Central Government is adopting new tactics every day to convince people to start adopting E20 blend petrol.”
The party platform cited the regulatory models of Japan, Thailand, and Brazil, noting that these nations utilized long horizons to transition their domestic vehicle fleets or preserved consumer choice at the pump. The leadership affirmed that writing directly to the Prime Minister’s office next week remains a priority to establish clear guidelines on vehicle protection.
“Next week I will write to the Prime Minister asking why the public should suffer because of your misadventure,” the AAP chief declared. “Let them clarify whether the government or the companies will compensate people if vehicle mileage decreases.”
