Most NDA supporters reluctant to adopt E20 petrol: C-Voter survey

More than half of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) supporters are unwilling to use E20 petrol despite backing the ruling alliance, according to a recent C-Voter survey, highlighting a disconnect between the Centre's ethanol blending programme and public acceptance.

The survey found that 52.5 per cent of NDA voters said they would not prefer using E20 petrol in their vehicles, while only 18.1 per cent expressed willingness to switch. Another 29.5 per cent remained undecided.

Opposition supporters were even more sceptical, with 57.9 per cent rejecting E20 petrol. Among voters aligned with other political parties, 55 per cent also said they would not opt for the fuel. Overall, 55.1 per cent of respondents opposed using E20 petrol, compared with just 17.1 per cent who supported it.

Limited support for ethanol blending policy

The survey also indicated limited public backing for the government's broader ethanol blending initiative.

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Across all respondents, 52 per cent said they did not support the policy of blending ethanol with petrol, while only 22 per cent supported it. Among NDA voters, 48.2 per cent opposed the policy compared with 24.4 per cent who backed it. Nearly 27.4 per cent remained undecided.

Mileage and vehicle safety concerns dominate

Concerns over reduced fuel efficiency and possible vehicle damage emerged as the biggest factors behind public resistance.

According to the survey, 52.8 per cent of respondents believed E20 petrol reduces vehicle mileage. Among NDA supporters, 51.2 per cent shared the concern, while the figure rose to 55.4 per cent among Opposition voters.

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Similarly, 54.2 per cent believed ethanol-blended petrol damages most vehicles. Nearly half (49.9 per cent) of NDA supporters held this view, compared with 60.2 per cent of Opposition voters. Another 14.3 per cent felt E20 damages only certain vehicles, while only 10.9 per cent believed it causes no damage.

More than half of those surveyed (56.3 per cent) also said making E20 petrol mandatory would be unfair to owners of older vehicles. The view was shared by 49.2 per cent of NDA supporters and 65.8 per cent of Opposition voters.

Consumers seek choice and lower prices

Despite reservations about E20, respondents overwhelmingly favoured retaining both ethanol-blended and conventional petrol in the market.

As many as 75.9 per cent wanted consumers to have the option of choosing between the two fuels, including 72.4 per cent of NDA voters.

The survey also found strong support for pricing incentives, with 74.5 per cent saying E20 petrol should be cheaper than regular petrol. However, lower prices alone may not be enough to drive adoption. While 40.8 per cent said they would switch if E20 were sold at a discount, 40.4 per cent said they still would not.

Also Read: From mileage loss to rising repair bills: What a survey on E20 fuel found

Opinion remained mixed on the government's claim that ethanol blending would reduce India's dependence on imported crude oil. While 37.2 per cent strongly agreed and 19.5 per cent somewhat agreed with the argument, 31.2 per cent expressed varying degrees of disagreement.

When asked what they believed was the government's primary motivation for promoting E20 petrol, 27.5 per cent cited reducing crude oil imports, 21.3 per cent said supporting sugarcane farmers, and 11 per cent believed the main objective was reducing pollution.