THE government’s move to increase the ethanol blending ratio from E5 to E20, intended to cushion citizens against rising global fuel costs, has sparked outrage among the motoring, agricultural and mining sectors, who argue it causes sluggish engine performance and a higher fuel consumption.
E20 fuel is a mixture of 80% gasoline and 20% ethanol.
Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion minister Mthuli Ncube on Tuesday this week told a post-Cabinet media briefing that part of the strategy to lower fuel prices includes revising upwards ethanol blending ratios.
However, the move has been condemned by car enthusiasts and analysts, who say it only supports modern engines and vehicles manufactured after 2023.
In an interview with NewsDay Weekender, car enthusiast and critic Tendai Munhundarima said the adjustment to E20 presents technical challenges for cars calibrated for E5 or E10.
“The change is subject to technical challenges on older cars because ethanol is a powerful solvent. Components designed for E10 are often not robust enough to handle the higher chemical aggression of E20,” he said.
“Higher ethanol content can lead to internal corrosion of the fuel pump and may cause deposits to break loose from the fuel lines, potentially clogging the nozzles of fuel injectors.”
Added Munhundarima: “In the event that the materials hold up, the move to E20 will definitely reduce mileage.
“This is because ethanol has about 33% less energy by volume than pure petrol.
“Moving to E20 will result in a 5%-10% decrease in mileage because the engine must burn more fuel to produce the same power. You might find yourself at the fuel pump more often.”
As of early 2024, vehicles 10 years and older were generally banned from importation, aiming to keep the vehicle fleet younger.
Despite importation rules banning vehicles 10 years or older, the local second-hand market still features many vehicles older than 10 years, raising questions about their ability to withstand the implementation of E20 fuel.
Engineer Clement Shonhiwa, from the University of Zimbabwe’s Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, Department of Mechanical Engineering, highlighted that the adjustments also affect any machine which uses petrol, adding that government should work on reducing fuel taxes to lower pump pricing.
“Under normal circumstances, if they (government) increase from E5 to E20, it means that energy value decreases, but it becomes powerful. E20 has less mileage than E5,” he said.
“This also applies to any equipment which uses fuel, be it agricultural or mining equipment.
“The government should reduce taxes. There are quite a number of taxes which are being taken by the government.”
In a bid to curb rising fuel prices, analyst Tendai Ruben Mbofana urged the government to reduce heavy taxes and levies, while stressing the need for greater transparency and efficiency in fuel procurement.
“The most immediate relief would come from reducing the heavy taxes and levies imposed on fuel.
“A significant portion of the pump price is made up of these charges, and temporarily easing them would directly lower costs for consumers,” he said.
“Government needs to improve transparency and efficiency in fuel procurement.”
“For years, concerns have been raised about opaque supply arrangements and possible rent-seeking practices.
“Streamlining procurement and eliminating unnecessary middlemen could reduce the final price of fuel.”
Mbofana added that the government needs to invest in efficient and affordable public transport as a means of reducing fuel demand.
“If more people rely on reliable mass transit systems, the overall demand for fuel at the individual level decreases, easing pressure on
households,” he told NewsDay Weekender.
“Government should consider targeted support for key sectors such as public transport operators, agriculture, and small businesses, rather than relying on blanket measures like ethanol blending, which have limited impact and potential downsides.”
“Thirdly, stabilising the exchange rate is critical. Since fuel is imported in foreign currency, any volatility in the local currency inevitably pushes prices up. Without exchange rate stability, fuel prices will remain high regardless of blending policies.”