‘My intention was never…’: Top vlogger Sourav Joshi's U-turn on E20 after Mercedes clarification

VLogger Sourav Joshi on mon said that the fuel consumption rate set down in his Mercedes SUV was caused by an “engine supply” after before blaming the E20 petrol. Joshi’s fresh statement comes after Mercedes-Benz India issued an advisory stating that all its BS VI petrol vehicles are fully compatible with E20 petrol.“We visited the Mercedes service centre, and they found that there was an issue with the engine, which was causing the low mileage. I apologise for the misunderstanding regarding E20 petrol,” Joshi said in a post on Monday. The vlogger clarified that his intention was never to spread incorrect information or hurt anyone’s sentiments.“I have trimmed that part accordingly,” he added, referring to his video.Yet, the part where he spoke on E20 continues to go viral on other people's social media handles. What Sourav Joshi earlier claimedSourav Joshi, India’s most-followed daily vlogger, recently shared a YouTube video claiming that the mileage of his Mercedes-Benz luxury vehicle had dropped from 17 to 5 over just two days.He said his vehicle's efficiency had plummeted to an unprecedented low over just 48 hours. “Yesterday I showed you our car's mileage had gone from 17 straight down to 9,” Joshi told his audience. “And do you know what it has become today? Today it has reached five... Look at this, it's showing a mileage of five,” he added.Joshi blamed the fuel available at local filling stations. “This is what has happened because of ethanol,” he asserted. The vlogger said a full tank of petrol, which earlier yielded a driving range of approximately 800 kilometres, now displays an estimated range of only 480 kilometres upon refuelling. He said the sharp drop has made him concerned about the potential mechanical damage to the petrol engine in the German SUV.“I don't know when this car will break down... Nowadays, I'm so scared of refilling petrol,” he said.The Mercedes advisoryMercedes-Benz India issued a customer advisory shortly after Joshi’s video exploded online.Although the statement did not name Joshi, it addressed his concerns about E20 petrol.“At Mercedes-Benz, customer safety, vehicle reliability and performance are of paramount importance to us. All Mercedes-Benz petrol BS VI vehicles are materially compatible with E20 fuel and certified accordingly by relevant authorities,” said the German automaker.“We are happy to support customers for any technical queries. Mercedes-Benz remains committed to sustainable mobility,” the carmaker added.The E20 controversyE20 fuel is a blended motor fuel consisting of 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol. The push for E20 fuel in India has become a controversial issue amid claims that it can damage the engines of incompatible older vehicles and reduce mileage.However, the government on Friday defended the ethanol-blended petrol programme amid concerns over engine damage and mileage loss in vehicles using ethanol-blended fuel, saying the scheme has helped the sugar economy, boosted farmers' incomes and saved the country over ₹1.90 lakh crore in foreign exchange since 2014-15.