Bajaj Auto Says All 10-Year-Old Bikes Across Brands E20 Compatible

Even as the public outcry over India’s ethanol blending policy refuses to calm down, Bajaj Auto seems to have joined the growing number of auto manufacturers to support the policy. According to Bajaj, all motorcycles made by the brand are E20 compatible, including the made-in-India KTM and Triumph models. And that’s not all, motorcycles manufactured by Bajaj Auto which are 10 years old are also compatible with E20 fuel.

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“We’d like to assure everyone that all motorcycles made by us at Bajaj Auto, are fully compatible with the E20 fuel usage. And this is true not only for recently made bikes, but for motorcycles made by us for more than the last 10 years. This has been achieved after rigorous work by our R&D teams. For this reason, our warranty terms and conditions hold true even true for the usage of E20 fuel type."

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“As you are aware, we sell our bikes not only in India, but all over the world. In fact, in a country like Brazil, the fuel type is E27, that is 27 per cent ethanol, and we sell our bikes over there, which run perfectly well, and we have not received any kind of product complaints for this reason,” said Sumeet Narang, President – Central Marketing, Bajaj Auto Ltd.

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Bajaj has also included KTM and Triumph bikes produced over the last 10 years, which are E20 compliant. The single-cylinder made-in-India Triumph models were first introduced in 2023, although Bajaj has been manufacturing small-capacity KTM bikes in India since 2002. Assuring customers that all motorcycles manufactured by Bajaj will not have any adverse effect of E20, Bajaj Auto has said that a marginal drop in fuel efficiency can be expected.

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“A marginal drop in fuel efficiency can be expected. But as you are aware, there are other stronger factors like driving conditions, riding habits and maintenance, which need to be optimised to get you the best mileage performance. So, go ahead and buy your favourite Pulsars, Dominars, KTMs, Avengers or Triumphs, made by Bajaj Auto proudly in India. We’ve got you covered,” added Narang.

The statement by Bajaj Auto comes amidst increasing public outcry over India’s ethanol blending policy. The government has repeatedly said that E20 will not have any adverse effect on the engine parts of vehicles, although a slight drop in fuel efficiency can be expected. While there has been a call by consumers and experts alike to make E10 available even as an option, the government has dismissed this possibility.

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On July 14, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has ruled out making E10 available, saying that India has achieved 20 per cent ethanol blending and E20 is now available at every fuel station in the country. According to Gadkari, people who do not want ethanol blended fuel can opt for 100 per cent petrol, which costs nearly 64 per cent more. In Delhi, regular E20 costs approximately Rs. 102 per litre, while ethanol-free petrol costs more than Rs. 167 per litre.