The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday said that Indian auto companies will soon produce 100 per cent ethanol-run cars and two-wheelers in the country. His statement comes at a time when ethanol is being blended into petrol and sold across the country. Also, his comment comes at a time when the automakers have been working on flex-fuel technology, which allows a car to run on both petrol and ethanol.

The Union Minister came to Parliament in a flex-fuel engine-powered car and said that it is the world's first vehicle which has a flex engine and complies with emission norms of Euro 6 emission norms, reported ANI. "It gives net zero emissions. Runs on ethanol produced from sugarcane juice, molasses, and corn," he reportedly stated.

Toyota previously introduced a flex-fuel propelled version of the Innova Hycross in India in August 2023, which is yet to go on sale in the country at a mass scale. However, it was a technology showcase portraying the capability of the Japanese carmaker to make flex-fuel vehicles. This MPV claims to be capable of covering 40 per cent of its total running distance on ethanol and the remaining 60 per cent on electric, with the petrol engine shut off.

Recently, Toyota announced that it will set up a plant in India to produce flex-fuel cars locally. This manufacturing facility will be set up at Aurangabad in Maharashtra, with an investment of ₹20,000 crore. Gadkari has revealed that Tata Motors and Suzuki are also working on producing 100 per cent ethanol or flex-fuel engine vehicles.

Not only in the passenger vehicle space, but in the Indian two-wheeler market too auto companies like Bajaj Auto, TVS and Hero MotoCorp are making flex-fuel engine-powered motorcycles and scooters. "Other manufacturers are also working on bringing a flex engine. Just like petrol pumps, our farmers will now have ethanol pumps. We have an import of ₹16 lakh crores. Such vehicles will reduce pollution, save costs, and benefit farmers... This vehicle works on 100% ethanol..." said Gadkari.

Global flex-fuel vehicle market

The flex-fuel vehicles have been introduced internationally before, and Toyota launched a flex-fuel version of its Corolla in 2022. But now India is ready to produce India's BS-VI emission standards-compliant flex-fuel vehicles. Speaking about this, Gadkari said that the ethanol industry is a boon for farmers, with the demand for ethanol set to increase, reshaping India's agricultural economy. "Flex cars will be a boon for farmers. Ethanol is swadeshi and farmers will reap all its benefits. Like petrol pumps ethanol pumps will be there," Gadkari added.

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