MG Motor India has announced that the Hector and the Hector Plus petrol variants are now E20 fuel compliant. This means they can run on E20 ethanol-blend fuel. MG has stated that all Hector petrol units manufactured after March 31, 2025, will meet this standard. With this, it has become the second MG car after the Astor to have achieved this mandatory regulation.
What is E20 Compliant?
“E20 Compliant” means a vehicle is compatible with E20 fuel, which is petrol blended with 20% ethanol. The ethanol is a cleaner-burning, renewable fuel. So, the E20-compliant vehicles are designed/adapted to run smoothly and safely on this blend without damaging the engine or fuel system. This norm is made mandatory by the Indian government to reduce crude oil imports and carbon emissions, as it burns cleaner than petrol.
Ethanol is more corrosive and has different combustion properties than regular petrol. So manufacturers implement several engineering changes to ensure it can run safely on ethanol-blended fuel. So the fuel system components—like fuel lines, pumps, gaskets, and tanks—are made using ethanol-resistant materials. The engine’s electronic control unit (ECU) is recalibrated to optimise the air-fuel mixture and ignition timing, accommodating ethanol’s higher oxygen content and octane rating. Cold start settings are also adjusted since ethanol can make starting engines more difficult in colder conditions.
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About MG Hector
The MG Hector is a premium mid-size SUV, available in three seating configurations: 5, 6 and 7-seater, with prices ranging between Rs 14 – 23.67 lakh (ex-showroom).
It comes kitted with amenities like automatic headlamps, all-LED lighting system, powered tailgate, a 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto, connected car technology with remote conrol functionalities, a 7-inch digital cluster, ventilated front seats, wireless charger, panoramic sunroof, 8-colour ambient lighting, six airbags, a 360-degree camera, electronic parking brakes with auto-hold, front & rear parking sensors, and an ADAS suite.
MG offers the Hector with two engine options: a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol (143PS/250Nm) and a 2-litre turbo-diesel (170PS/350Nm). While the petrol engine gets both a 6-speed manual and a CVT automatic transmission option, the diesel engine comes exclusively with a 6-speed manual gearbox.
In the Indian market, it locks horns with the Tata Harrier & Safari, Mahindra XUV700 and Hyundai Alcazar.
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