India`s first flex-fuel passenger vehicle by Maruti Suzuki
4th June 2026
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas has launched India`s first flex-fuel passenger vehicle by Maruti Suzuki in New Delhi. Flex-fuel vehicles can operate on a range of ethanol–petrol blends, from E20 up to E100
Speaking at the launch, the Minister said that the entry of flex-fuel technology into the passenger vehicle segment is not merely a product launch, but also the beginning of a new chapter in India's energy transition. He noted that India has nearly 37 lakh passenger vehicles representing the aspirations of middle-class India and the future of personal mobility. Large-scale adoption of flex-fuel technology in this segment can significantly multiply the impact of ethanol-based mobility
India now has the capability to produce ethanol from multiple feedstock sources such as broken grains, agricultural waste, bamboo and sea weed
Ethanol blending has increased from less than 1.5% in 2013-14 to 20% in 2025-26, achieving the target 5 yrs ahead of the schedule. Ethanol procurement has risen from about 38 crore litres in ESY 2013-14 to more than 1,040 crore litres today, while ethanol production capacity expanded nearly five fold from 421 crore litres in 2014 to ~2000 crore litres in 2026. This shift has reduced crude oil imports, saved foreign exchange, lowered emissions, and increased farmer’s income
The Minister noted that if 50% of the new two and four wheelers sales eventually shift to flex fuel compliant vehicles, it will create additional demand for 311.8 crore litres of ethanol and provide Rs 12,403 crore additional income for farmers. This would also lead to 66.4 lakh metric tonnes less CO₂ emissions
NITI Aayog officially classifies ethanol-based Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFVs), including vehicles running on high ethanol blends such as E85, as Zero-Emission Vehicles. E85 fuel also produces near-zero particulate matter (PM) emissions, making flex-fuel vehicles a promising solution for addressing the country’s growing air pollution challenge
The Minister also outlined the Government’s roadmap for creating a nationwide flex-fuel ecosystem. Under the proposed roadmap, E85 has been identified as the mono-fuel standard for Flex-Fuel Vehicles under BIS specifications. The plan proposes an initial roll out of 50–100 FFV-ready fuel retail outlets in the Delhi-NCR and Mumbai–Pune–Nagpur corridors, expanding to nearly 500 outlets by December 2026 and approximately 5,000 outlets across major cities by end-2027
The Government is also working on supportive measures such as pricing support, road tax concessions, availability of E85 testing fuel, special identifiers for FFVs and retail outlets, consumer awareness initiatives, and development of storage and dispensing infrastructure to increase adoption. The Minister said that this is not merely a transition in fuel, but it is the creation of a complete ecosystem for cleaner mobility, stronger energy security, and greater self-reliance
Congratulating Maruti Suzuki for its contribution to India’s clean mobility transition, the Minister said India’s energy transition will be built in India, powered by Indian innovation, supported by Indian farmers and driven by Indian consumers. He urged automobile manufacturers to accelerate the introduction of flex fuel models across vehicle segments, and Oil Marketing Companies to rapidly expand E85 availability across the country