350cc Dominar 400 and Pulsar NS400Z
To assure customers, Bajaj has stated that warranty claims will be valid even for older bikes using the new E20 fuel
As the E20 debate continues to rage across India, claims and counterclaims are emerging in rapid succession. Mercedes-Benz recently posted about E20 compatibility for its BS6 vehicles. And now, a similar statement has been made by Bajaj, claiming E20 compatibility for all motorcycles manufactured in the last 10 years. The brand has also talked about the possibility of a marginal dip in fuel efficiency.
Bajaj E20 statement
As may be recalled, the E20 mandate for all vehicles came into effect from 1st April, 2023. Interestingly, Bajaj says that all their bikes manufactured in the last 10 years are E20 compatible. According to the brand, this has been made possible with the efforts of its R&D team. When Bajaj says all its bikes, it essentially means all the popular brands such as Pulsar, Dominar and Avenger.
Bajaj has also stated that KTM and Triumph bikes produced in the last 10 years are also E20 compliant. This is apparently true for Triumph bikes, since these were first introduced in mid-2023. The E20 mandate for vehicles was already active at this time. Bajaj had started manufacturing KTM bikes in India much earlier.
Slightly lower mileage possible
While assuring existing customers about the use of E20 fuel, Bajaj has said that there could be a slight loss in fuel efficiency. However, the mileage could also be impacted by other factors such as riding conditions and maintenance. Other factors such as riding style, tyre pressure and traffic conditions can also impact a bike’s mileage.
Bajaj has stated that these factors are likely to have a relatively greater impact on mileage than E20 fuel. Bajaj has also stated that for all its bikes manufactured in the last decade, there won’t be any need for new components or retrofits. The maintenance procedures also remain the same as recommended for the bike when it was manufactured. Best assurance for customers is that the warranty will apply for even older bikes using the new E20 fuel.
Link to Brazilian E27
To support its claims, Bajaj has given the example of Brazil, where E27 is the standard fuel. Bajaj exports its two-wheelers to over 90 countries and Brazil is one of those destinations. The company has been supplying two-wheelers to Brazil since 2022. And there have been no complaints about fuel compatibility till date.
Since there are no complaints with E27, a higher ethanol blend, use of E20 in India is unlikely to create issues. Sumeet Narang, President of Central Marketing at Bajaj Auto Ltd., said that bikes supplied to Brazil have essentially the same technology as the ones sold in India. The message is that there are unlikely to be any issues with the E20 fuel in India for Bajaj, KTM and Triumph bikes manufactured in the last 10 years.