YouTuber retracts Mercedes E20 mileage claim, engine faults surface

YouTuber Saurav Joshi retracted his earlier claim that E20 gasoline was responsible for the sharp drop in fuel efficiency of his Mercedes-Benz SUV, saying the problem was actually related to an engine-related fault. The clarification comes days after Mercedes-Benz India stated that all its BS VI petrol models are fully compatible with E20 fuel.In a recent post on X, the content creator said the vehicle was inspected at an authorized Mercedes-Benz service center, where technicians identified an engine issue that was affecting the SUV’s mileage. He also apologized for the confusion he caused with his earlier statements, adding that he never intended to spread incorrect information or mislead people.The controversy started after a vlogger claimed in one of his videos that the fuel efficiency of his Mercedes-Benz GLC dropped from around 17 kmpl to 5 kmpl within two days. He attributed the decline to ethanol-blended petrol, stating that a full tank, which used to give about 800km of range, now only lasts about 490km.Following the viral video, Mercedes-Benz India issued an official statement addressing the allegations. The company reiterated that all its petrol engined vehicles are BS VI certified for E20 fuel compatibility and meet the required regulatory standards.“At Mercedes-Benz, customer safety, reliability and vehicle performance are of the utmost importance to us. All Mercedes-Benz petrol BS VI vehicles are materially compatible with E20 fuel and certified accordingly by the relevant authorities. We are happy to support customers with all technical queries. Mercedes-Benz remains committed to sustainable mobility,” the company said in its statement.