New Delhi, June 4: Maruti Suzuki India on Thursday launched India’s first flex-fuel passenger vehicle, introducing a version of its Wagon R Flex Fuel capable of running on ethanol-petrol blends ranging from E20 to E100, as the country seeks to reduce crude oil imports and lower carbon emissions. India has been promoting ethanol-blended petrol as part of its strategy to reduce dependence on imported crude oil, one of the biggest contributors to its current account deficit. The country has already rolled out E20 fuel, containing 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol, and is now exploring higher ethanol blends using biofuel produced from feedstocks such as sugarcane, maize and surplus rice. Flex-fuel vehicles are designed to run on higher ethanol blends such as E85 (85 per cent ethanol, 15 per cent petrol) and E100 (near 100 per cent ethanol), unlike conventional petrol vehicles currently approved for lower ethanol concentrations. The country’s largest carmaker said the vehicle features an advanced engine control unit (ECU) that automatically adapts to varying ethanol blends, allowing customers to operate the car on any mix of petrol and ethanol. While Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said flex-fuel vehicles could create sustained demand for ethanol while supporting farmers, industry and environmental goals, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri stated that India’s ethanol programme had strengthened energy security and created new opportunities for the rural economy. (PTI)
