India minister says owners use dealer tests for mileage

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari stated on Monday, July 13, 2026, that individual car owners cannot accurately measure their vehicle's fuel efficiency on their own, advising them to rely on tests conducted by authorized dealers. His comments came during an interview with ABP News amid growing public complaints about reduced mileage after switching to the government-mandated E20 petrol.

The minister was responding directly to a journalist who reported that her car's fuel efficiency in city driving had dropped from approximately 11 kilometers per liter to about 7 kmpl after using E20 fuel, a figure she derived from her vehicle's dashboard display. Gadkari questioned the reliability of such measurements, asserting that a precise assessment requires specialized equipment available only at authorized service centers.

While defending the government's Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme, Gadkari acknowledged that ethanol has a lower calorific value than conventional petrol, which can lead to a slight reduction in fuel efficiency. He referenced a government document released last week which admitted that E20 petrol may reduce fuel economy by 3 to 5 percent in some...