Joshi, who works from Haldwani, Uttarakhand, said his car’s efficiency dropped to an unprecedented level in just 48 hours.
Sourav Joshi, one of India’s top daily vloggers, has raised serious concerns about the performance of his luxury car, attributing the significant decline in fuel efficiency to the increasing prevalence of ethanol-blended petrol in the country.
In a video chronicle recently uploaded to his YouTube channel titled “Race With Brothers.” “Kon Jettega?”, a content creator with over 41 million subscribers, expressed his frustration while displaying live dashboard gauges inside his luxury Mercedes-Benz SUV.
Joshi, who works from Haldwani, Uttarakhand, said his car’s efficiency dropped to an unprecedented level in just 48 hours.
“Yesterday I showed you that the mileage of our car has decreased from 17 to nine,” Joshi told his audience. He added, “And do you know what happened today? Today I reached five… Look at this, it shows five miles.”
It wasn’t clear whether he was talking about average fuel mileage over time, or real-time data that can fluctuate dramatically depending on driving conditions and other factors. The average fuel price claimed by the company for the Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4MATIC (petrol), exceeds $80 lakh, which is about 15 km.
Full video below: Joshi talks about E20 after the four minute mark
Joshi blamed the fuel available at local gas stations. “This is what happened because of ethanol,” he stressed.
His blogger and wife, Avantika Bhatt, also commented: “We spent a lot of money on this car!”
He said that a full tank of fuel, which historically provided a driving range of about 800 km, now offers an estimated range of only 480 km when refilling. He said the sharp drop made him concerned about possible mechanical damage to the German SUV’s gasoline engine.
He said: “I don’t know when this car will break down… These days I feel very afraid to refill gasoline.”
He also talked about owning a G-Wagon, another Mercedes SUV, with an electric version that takes him away from ethanol concerns.
He also noted that mechanical failures in a luxury vehicle can create serious logistical problems for suburban and small-town residents.
“It is a Mercedes after all. I will have to send it to Delhi if a problem arises… Not only is petrol expensive, but if it breaks down, the repair costs are huge,” he said.
The clip from the video also went viral on X and Instagram.
What does the government say?
India is pushing hard to mandate 20 percent ethanol-blended gasoline (E20) at fuel stations to reduce carbon emissions and reduce crude oil imports. However, Joshi’s widespread complaints highlight a growing undercurrent of concern among car owners regarding the compatibility of older engines with high-ethanol fuels.
Major automakers and Union ministers need to address public concern.
During a company roundtable, Santosh Iyer, MD and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said, “We have seen a lot of concern, with a lot of customers asking us and asking our dealers.” However, Iyer said their vehicles sold since 2020 were locally designed to handle ethanol blends, pointing instead to illegal fuel tampering at regional pumps as the real problem. “We have seen an increase in fuel adulteration under the guise of E20,” Iyer claimed.
He also urged policymakers to “ideally offer multiple fuel grades during the transition period, giving owners of older vehicles the option of choice.”
The government has strongly defended the alternative fuel policy, dismissing widespread claims of engine damage as exaggerated online misinformation.
Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport, rejected claims that the fuel was corrosive and termed widespread social media posts a “false narrative”. He challenged critics to provide concrete evidence. He said: “There is no case in which any car faces problems due to E20 gasoline… What is circulating on social media is part of a coordinated false narrative.”
Earlier, another prominent online influencer and Jan Suraj Party leader, Manish Kashyap from Bihar, said that his new Toyota SUV was damaged due to E20. But the company and the government rejected these concerns as misplaced, although they did not name them by that name.
Gadkari admitted that the lower calorific value of ethanol marginally affects fuel economy under certain conditions. He said that to help owners of old vehicles, car manufacturers will replace damaged parts, especially washers, in old vehicles using E20 fuel at no additional cost during the service. Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri also dismissed the allegations of engine deterioration as a “misinterpretation”. His ministry stressed that while older vehicles may see a 3-5% drop in fuel economy due to the inherent properties of the blend, E20 remains a thoroughly tested, safe and scientifically proven alternative that is essential to strengthen India’s energy security.
The government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself have repeatedly said that the ethanol blending program is a crucial tool to protect India from the volatility of global oil markets as India imports most of its crude oil. It also helps farmers as ethanol is made from sugarcane and other crops, Gadkari said.
Follow the latest breaking news, key developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with Hindustan Times Newsdesk. Operating around the clock, the bureau brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across topics affecting public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT Newsdesk covers politics, elections, government policy, economics, business, markets, science and technology, environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across countries, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the News Desk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory files, recognized institutions and other official sources. Stories undergo editorial review and verification to ensure accuracy, fairness and appropriateness, and are updated as events develop and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a major policy decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with trusted, fact-based journalism that provides not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read more
