Sourav Joshi Retracts Claims That E20 Petrol Harmed Mercedes SUV

YouTuber Sourav Joshi retracted claims that E20 ethanol-blended petrol caused a severe drop in the fuel efficiency of his Mercedes-Benz SUV. In a vlog posted on July 12, Joshi claimed his vehicle's mileage plummeted from 17 kmpl to 5 kmpl, attributing the decline to the ethanol blend and suggesting the experience favored electric vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz India responded by issuing a customer advisory stating that all its petrol BS VI vehicles are materially compatible with E20 fuel and certified by relevant authorities. The automaker denied that the fuel caused the performance issues.

Following an inspection at a Mercedes-Benz service center, Joshi issued a clarification on X, acknowledging that an engine issue was the actual cause of the low mileage. He apologized for the misunderstanding, stating his intention was not to spread incorrect information, and edited the original vlog to remove the references to E20 petrol. The incident triggered a wider social media debate regarding the impact of ethanol-blended fuels on the fuel economy of premium vehicles, a fuel type the Government of India continues to promote to lower carbon emissions and crude oil imports.