Ethanol has garnered a lot of attention recently, and for several reasons. In May, the government officially notified fuel standards for higher ethanol-petrol blends, including E22, E25, E27 and E30.
Then came another milestone. On June 5, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurated Delhi’s first E85 fuel dispensing station at Indian Oil’s Pusa Road outlet, marking the commercial rollout of high-ethanol fuel in India.
Currently, only a handful of vehicles in India can run on E85. Among cars, there is just one option which is the Maruti Suzuki WagonR flex fuel. In the two-wheeler segment, there are three models: the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 flex fuel, Hero Splendor+ flex fuel and Hero HF Deluxe flex fuel.
Why E85 consumes more fuel
E85 in Delhi is priced at Rs 82.12 per litre, while the standard E20 blend costs Rs 102.12 per litre. On paper, E85 is Rs 20 cheaper per litre than E20. However, it also results in higher fuel consumption because ethanol has a lower energy density than petrol.
Petrol contains significantly more energy per litre than ethanol. Pure petrol has an energy content of around 32-34 megajoules (MJ) per litre, while ethanol contains roughly 21-24 MJ per litre. This means a vehicle running on E100 ethanol requires a greater volume of fuel to produce the same amount of energy.
E20 vs E85 mileage test
To find out whether E85 actually helps save moneywe recently conducted a comparison test using the Suzuki Gixxer SF flex fuel. The objective was to determine whether the Rs 20 per litre price advantage of E85 could offset the drop in fuel efficiency and ultimately prove more economical than E20.
We conducted a tank-to-tank mileage test with both E20 and E85. First, we filled the Gixxer’s tank to the brim with E20 and rode it for 124.2km. The tank was then refilled to determine the amount of fuel consumed during the run.
Next, we emptied the tank to the point where the motorcycle had just enough fuel to travel around 2km before reaching the fuel station. We then filled it with E85, rode it for 127km, and once again refilled the tank to the brim to calculate fuel consumption.
As our objective was to achieve the best possible efficiency figures, most of the testing was carried out on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway. Both the E20 and E85 runs were conducted under largely similar conditions. The only difference was that the E85 test included approximately 30km of additional city riding, as we had to travel to Karol Bagh in Delhi to refuel with E85 and later refill the tank for measurement.
Mileage results
With E20, the motorcycle covered 124.2km while consuming 2.44 litres of fuel, resulting in a fuel efficiency figure of 50.9kmpl.
With E85, the motorcycle covered 127km and consumed 4.37 litres of fuel, resulting in a fuel efficiency figure of 29.06kmpl.
The results reveal a substantial drop in fuel efficiency when switching from E20 to E85. The Suzuki Gixxer SF flex fuel delivered 50.9kmpl on E20 petrol compared to 29.06kmpl on E85, representing a reduction of 21.84kmpl or approximately 42.9 per cent.
Running cost comparison
| Parameter | E20 | E85 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance covered | 124.2km | 127.2km | -3 |
| Fuel consumed | 2.44 litres | 4.37 litres | E85 used 1.93 litres more |
| Fuel efficiency | 50.9kmpl | 29.06kmpl | -21.84 km/l (-42.9%) |
| Fuel price | Rs 102/litre | Rs 82/litre | E85 is 20/litre cheaper |
| Running cost per km | Rs 2.00/km | Rs 2.82/km | E85 costs 0.82/km more |
| Cost per 100 km | Rs 200 | Rs 282 | E85 costs Rs 82 more per 100 km |
| Fuel cost for 1,000 km | Rs 2,004 | Rs 2,822 | E85 costs Rs 818 more |
While E85 is significantly cheaper at Rs 82 per litre compared to Rs 102 per litre for E20, the lower mileage resulted in a higher running cost. The Gixxer SF flex fuel recorded a running cost of around Rs 2 per kilometre on E20, whereas E85 increased that figure to Rs 2.82 per kilometre.
On a 100km basis, the fuel cost worked out to roughly Rs 200 with E20 and Rs 282 with E85. This indicates that despite its lower per-litre price, E85 proved more expensive to run in this particular test.
The findings highlight the fundamental trade-off between ethanol-rich fuels and conventional petrol blends. While E85 is around 19.6 per cent cheaper per litre than E20, the Suzuki Gixxer SF Flex Fuel’s efficiency dropped by nearly 43 per cent when running on the higher ethanol blend.
As a result, the lower pump price was not enough to offset the increased fuel consumption, leading to a higher running cost of Rs 2.82 per kilometre compared to Rs 2 per kilometre on E20.
Is E85 worth it?
Based on these results, E20 remains the more economical option for those whose primary objective is to minimise fuel expenses. E85’s main advantages instead lie in its renewable fuel content and potential emissions benefits rather than outright cost savings.
There is also the matter of the higher purchase price of flex-fuel vehicles. The Suzuki Gixxer SF flex fuel costs around Rs 8,000 more than the standard E20-compatible Gixxer SF. In the case of the Maruti Suzuki WagonR Flex Fuel, the premium rises to approximately Rs 86,000.
Based on this test, E85 would need to be priced significantly lower than E20 to compensate for its nearly 43 per cent drop in fuel efficiency and deliver a meaningful cost advantage to riders.
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