The government is leaving no stone unturned to boost the introduction of Flex-Fuel vehicles and increase the adoption of ethanol consumption in the country. Automobile manufacturers have already taken steps to produce Flex-Fuel-compatible vehicles. Efforts are also underway to introduce Flex-Fuel models in the passenger vehicle segment.
Speaking to ETAuto at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, Prashant K Banerjee, Executive Director of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers on flex-fuel vehicles said, “We are also focused on launching commercially ready flex-fuel vehicles with each two-wheeler manufacturer introduce at least one flex-fuel model starting third quarter of 2024-25. In the passenger vehicle (PV) segment, a flex-fuel model will be introduced in 2025-26. Leading four-wheeler manufacturers such as Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hyundai, Toyota, and Maruti Suzuki —already have flex-fuel-compatible vehicles ready.”
According to the SIAM, the committee working on Bharat Stage 7 (BS7) emission standards is assessing different aspects of the proposed regulations, including the difficulties in compliance with higher ethanol-blended fuels and the need to measure particulate emissions from tyres, reported ETAuto.
He shared insights into the ongoing deliberations. “The committee for BS7 has been formed, but the final structure of the emission norms is yet to be finalised,” he said. When asked about the impact of ethanol-blended fuels on the new standards, Banerjee explained, “Higher ethanol blends pose challenges related to NOx and LDHs, which are being actively discussed and addressed. However, ethanol-blended fuels perform well in meeting hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide (CO) compliance levels due to the presence of oxygen, which aids in better combustion.”
On the ethanol front, Banerjee highlighted the automotive industry’s progress. “SIAM had set a target of ensuring all vehicles are compatible with E20 fuel by April 1, 2023, and we are proud to have achieved that goal,” he said. Looking ahead, he added, “By April 1, 2025, we aim to deliver vehicles that are fully compliant with E20 fuel, both in terms of materials and engine performance.”
The Indian government has been aggressively pushing for ethanol blending under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme, aiming to achieve 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025, significantly ahead of the earlier 2030 target. Banerjee noted that this accelerated timeline aligns with India’s broader goals, including energy security, pollution reduction, international climate commitments, and supporting farmers’ incomes.
