by Suman Gupta
- Among the first few OEMs to receive E20 certification from an official body
- The 1.0 TSI manual and automatic have earned the certification
- The 1.5 TSI is undergoing tests; to earn certification by Q4 2024
- E20’s 20% ethanol to 80% petrol blend allows efficiencies in emissions, sustainability and circular economy
Mumbai, July 23, 2024 – The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) has certified Škoda Auto India’s 1.0 TSI engine to be E20 compliant. This marks Škoda among the first few OEMs to receive E20 compliance from an official body.
Speaking on the certification, Petr Janeba, Brand Director, Škoda Auto India, said: “Along with making cars that lead in driving dynamics and safety, efficiency and sustainability have also been at the centre of our product and production practices. TSI technology has been time-tested and proven for efficiency and emissions, while being effectively powered. We have evolved and adapted this technology to various updates in standards and policies across the globe. The 1.0 TSI especially, with its 3-cylinder turbo configuration tuned for power and efficiency is a versatile powertrain, and the E20 certification is a testament to this. We are confident of a similar outcome when the 1.5 TSI is tested, later this year.”
The certification
The 1.0 TSI is now among the first few engines in India to receive an E20 certification by an official body. The 1.0 TSI powers the Kushaq SUV and Slavia sedan in Škoda Auto India’s line-up. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. The 1.5 TSI powering these two cars are also undergoing tests. The results of this are tentatively slated for Q4 2024. The Indian government has made it mandatory for all cars from April 1, 2025 to be E20 compliant. The E20 fuel blend consists of 20% ethanol – made from renewable sources like corn, sugarcane or biomass — and 80% petrol. This reduces the amount of fossil fuel per litre and emissions.
The engine
The 1.0 TSI makes 85kW of power (115ps) and 178Nm of torque and is mated to a six-speed automatic or a six-speed manual. While the engine is available across variants in the Kushaq and the Slavia, the E20-compliant engine made its debut in the recently introduced Kushaq Onyx AT and will eventually make it to every 1.0 TSI Škoda to roll off the production line from Chakan, Pune.
