E20 fuel debate grows after viral mileage claims; Mercedes issues compatibility advisory

Mercedes-Benz India reiterated that E20 petrol should only be used in compatible vehicles after a viral debate over ethanol-blended fuel and mileage concerns.

An old video from YouTuber Sourav Joshi's vlog has gone viral soon after a clip from his vlog criticising E20 petrol went viral.In the viral clip from 2024 that is going viral, Joshi can be heard saying, "Isme pata hai kitne ka petrol aata hai, guys? ₹6,000 se upar ka petrol aata hai ek baar mein, aur woh chalta bhi bahut kam hai," which roughly translates to: "Do you know how much petrol this takes, guys? It costs more than ₹6,000 to fill the tank once, and even then, it doesn't last very long."A vlogger with 4 Cr subscribers forgot Digital Footprint is permanent Here is a 2024 clip of Saurav Joshi where he says his Merc is a fuel guzzler and ₹6000 petrol disappears in no time So how did a fuel guzzler of 2024 give 17kmpl in 2026?LIAR pic.twitter.com/Eu50uBsGjZ— Sameer (@BesuraTaansane) July 13, 2026 The vehicle in question is a Mercedes GLC 300, which Joshi purchased in 2024.Viral mileage claimsThe controversy began after a clip circulated online showing Joshi expressing concern over a sharp drop in his Mercedes SUV's fuel efficiency. In the video, he claimed the vehicle's mileage had fallen from 17 kmpl to just 5 kmpl and appeared to attribute the issue to ethanol-blended fuel."Yesterday I showed you that our car's mileage had dropped from 17 straight to 9. And today it has become 5. What has happened because of ethanol?" Joshi is heard saying in the viral clip. He also expressed concern that if the vehicle developed a fault, repairs could become expensive and inconvenient, as the car would need to be taken from his hometown in Uttarakhand to Delhi."Hamari gaadi ki mileage 17 se seedhe 9 ki. Aur aaj 5 ki ho gayi" Vlogger Saurabh Joshi claims his car mileage has dropped by less than half. https://t.co/9tJBmzuu2F pic.twitter.com/Pmu3VaaDlv— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) July 12, 2026 However, the remarks are reportedly missing from the currently available version of the vlog.Did YouTuber Sourav Joshi Delete E20 Petrol Criticism Remarks From Latest Vlog? Here's What We KnowMercedes-Benz respondsAmid the growing online discussion, Mercedes-Benz India issued a customer advisory reaffirming that all its petrol BS VI vehicles are fully compatible with E20 fuel. The company stated that customer safety, reliability, and vehicle performance remain its top priorities and clarified that all Mercedes-Benz petrol BS VI models are materially compatible with E20 fuel and certified by the relevant authorities.Customer Advisory pic.twitter.com/RxuTYl6Phz— Mercedes-Benz India (@MercedesBenzInd) July 12, 2026 The luxury carmaker also reiterated its commitment to sustainable mobility and assured customers that it remains available to address technical queries related to fuel compatibility.Government's E20 pushThe Centre has been promoting E20 petrol, a fuel blend containing up to 20 per cent ethanol, as part of its broader strategy to reduce crude oil imports, lower carbon emissions, and support domestic ethanol production. Automobile manufacturers have simultaneously introduced E20-compatible vehicles across multiple segments in line with the policy.

A viral video clip featuring popular YouTuber Sourav Joshi has triggered a fresh debate around E20 petrol after social media users claimed that comments critical of the fuel were removed from one of his recent vlogs.The controversy began after a clip circulated online showing Joshi expressing concern over a sharp drop in his Mercedes SUV's fuel efficiency. In the video, he claimed the vehicle's mileage had fallen from 17 kmpl to just 5 kmpl and appeared to attribute the issue to ethanol-blended fuel."Hamari gaadi ki mileage 17 se seedhe 9 ki. Aur aaj 5 ki ho gayi" Vlogger Saurabh Joshi claims his car mileage has dropped by less than half. https://t.co/9tJBmzuu2F pic.twitter.com/Pmu3VaaDlv— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) July 12, 2026 "Yesterday I showed you that our car's mileage had dropped from 17 straight to 9. And today it has become 5. What has happened because of ethanol?" Joshi is heard saying in the viral clip. He also expressed concern that if the vehicle developed a fault, repairs could become expensive and inconvenient, as the car would need to be taken from his hometown in Uttarakhand to Delhi.The YouTuber further remarked that he had become apprehensive about refuelling his vehicle and suggested that such experiences strengthened the case for electric vehicles. Referring to his electric Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon, he said an EV avoids fuel-related concerns and offers lower running costs.Watch The Full Vlog Here: However, the remarks are reportedly missing from the currently available version of the vlog. Several social media users claimed that the comments originally appeared around the four-minute mark of the video and shared timestamps pointing to the section where the discussion allegedly took place. On reviewing the vlog, however, the referenced segment no longer contains any criticism of E20 petrol. Screenshot from Comments section of vlog This has led to speculation that the footage may have been edited or removed after publication. As of now, Sourav Joshi has not publicly commented on the viral clip or the claims that the segment was deleted. Therefore, it remains unclear when the clip was recorded, whether it was removed later, or why it no longer appears in the vlog.Mercedes-Benz India Clarifies E20 Fuel Compatibility After Viral Mileage Claims Spark Debate Mercedes-Benz India Clarifies E20 Fuel Compatibility After Viral Mileage Claims Spark DebateAmid the growing online discussion, Mercedes-Benz India issued a customer advisory reaffirming that all its petrol BS VI vehicles are fully compatible with E20 fuel. The company stated that customer safety, reliability and vehicle performance remain its top priorities and clarified that all Mercedes-Benz petrol BS VI models are materially compatible with E20 fuel and certified by the relevant authorities.Customer Advisory pic.twitter.com/RxuTYl6Phz— Mercedes-Benz India (@MercedesBenzInd) July 12, 2026 The luxury carmaker also reiterated its commitment to sustainable mobility and assured customers that it remains available to address technical queries related to fuel compatibility.The Government of India has been promoting E20 petrol, a fuel blend containing up to 20 per cent ethanol, as part of its broader strategy to reduce crude oil imports, lower carbon emissions and support domestic ethanol production. Automobile manufacturers have simultaneously introduced E20-compatible vehicles across multiple segments in line with the policy.

The debate around E20 petrol has once again gained traction after a viral social media clip featuring popular YouTuber Sourav Joshi and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reignited concerns over the impact of ethanol-blended fuel on vehicle performance.Amid the growing discussion, Mercedes-Benz India has issued a customer advisory reaffirming that all its petrol BS VI vehicles are fully compatible with E20 fuel.The advisory, shared by the luxury carmaker, states that customer safety, vehicle reliability and performance remain its highest priorities. It emphasises that all Mercedes-Benz petrol BS VI vehicles are materially compatible with E20 fuel and have been certified by the relevant authorities. The company also assured customers that it remains available to address any technical queries and reiterated its commitment to sustainable mobility.Customer Advisory pic.twitter.com/RxuTYl6Phz— Mercedes-Benz India (@MercedesBenzInd) July 12, 2026 The fresh debate began after a video circulated widely on social media in which Sourav Joshi claimed that the fuel efficiency of his Mercedes-Benz had dropped dramatically after switching to E20 petrol. In the clip, he alleged that the car's mileage had fallen from around 16–17 km/l to nearly 5 km/l. Speaking while driving with his wife, Joshi also expressed concern that if the vehicle developed a fault, he might have to send it from his hometown in Uttarakhand to Delhi for repairs. He further suggested that such experiences strengthened the case for adopting electric vehicles."Hamari gaadi ki mileage 17 se seedhe 9 ki. Aur aaj 5 ki ho gayi" Vlogger Saurabh Joshi claims his car mileage has dropped by less than half. https://t.co/9tJBmzuu2F pic.twitter.com/Pmu3VaaDlv— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) July 12, 2026 The viral clip also featured another vehicle owner telling Arvind Kejriwal that the mileage of his car had significantly deteriorated after using E20 fuel, further fuelling public discussion over ethanol-blended petrol.However, Sourav Joshi has since deleted the vlog segment in which he made the mileage claim. Separately, a social media post stating that "Mercedes should sue him" has also gained traction online. Mercedes-Benz has not publicly responded to that demand, and there is no indication that the company has initiated or plans to initiate any legal action."Mileage khatm Hai Ji," says a car owner to former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Why are no other opposition leader talking about this? Also, car mechanics are showing more spine than top automobile executive who were forced to lie on Ethanol. https://t.co/YhBeaF5CLN— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) July 12, 2026 The Government of India has been actively promoting E20 petrol, which contains up to 20 per cent ethanol, as part of its strategy to reduce dependence on imported crude oil, cut carbon emissions and boost domestic ethanol production. In line with this policy, automobile manufacturers have introduced E20-compatible vehicles across multiple segments.Automotive experts have consistently maintained that vehicles specifically designed and certified for E20 fuel are engineered to operate on the higher ethanol blend. Owners of older vehicles, however, are advised to consult their manufacturer's recommendations before using E20 petrol.

New Delhi: The debate over E20 petrol has resurfaced after a social media post featuring popular vlogger Saurabh Joshi and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal went viral. The post claims that several vehicle owners are facing a sharp drop in fuel efficiency after switching to E20 petrol.In the video shared on social media, Saurabh Joshi is heard saying that the mileage of his vehicle has fallen from around 17 kmpl to 9 kmpl and later to nearly 5 kmpl. Another vehicle owner is also seen telling Kejriwal that the car's mileage has "finished.""Hamari gaadi ki mileage 17 se seedhe 9 ki. Aur aaj 5 ki ho gayi" Vlogger Saurabh Joshi claims his car mileage has dropped by less than half. https://t.co/9tJBmzuu2F pic.twitter.com/Pmu3VaaDlv— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) July 12, 2026 Kejriwal Raises QuestionsSharing the video, Kejriwal claimed that he recently spoke to car mechanics and vehicle owners in Delhi who allegedly reported long queues of vehicles with problems linked to E20 fuel. He also alleged that many owners were unhappy because their vehicles were delivering much lower mileage than before.In his post, Kejriwal criticised the Centre's ethanol-blended fuel policy and urged the government to stop "forcing E20" on consumers. He further alleged that television interviews and press conferences could not change the reality being experienced by vehicle owners."Mileage khatm Hai Ji," says a car owner to former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Why are no other opposition leader talking about this? Also, car mechanics are showing more spine than top automobile executive who were forced to lie on Ethanol. https://t.co/YhBeaF5CLN— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) July 12, 2026 Claims Yet To Be VerifiedThe claims made in the social media post have not been independently verified. Neither the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas nor oil marketing companies had issued any immediate response to the specific allegations at the time of writing. Nitin Gadkari Defends E20 Fuel Policy, Challenges Critics To Show Vehicle DamageThe Government of India has been promoting E20 petrol—containing up to 20 per cent ethanol—as part of its strategy to reduce crude oil imports, lower carbon emissions and support domestic ethanol production. Automobile manufacturers have also introduced E20-compatible vehicles in line with the government's roadmap.Experts have previously said that E20-compatible vehicles are designed to run on the higher ethanol blend, while owners of older vehicles are advised to follow manufacturer recommendations regarding fuel compatibility. However, the latest viral claims have once again brought the impact of E20 fuel on vehicle performance into public discussion.