India's first E100 vehicle may arrive on June 5, but the larger test for the country's ethanol ambitions will begin after it leaves the showroom
Flex fuel will help meet India's two national objectives of cutting crude oil imports and reducing carbon emissions, but requires an entire ecosystem, from fuel availability to more model launches for large-scale adoption, Maruti Suzuki India MD & CEO Hisashi Takeuchi said on Thursday. The benefits of flex-fuel go much beyond the automobile sector, supporting economy, society, environment, farmers, ethanol producers and the larger rural ecosystem, he said, while speaking at the introduction of the company's first flex-fuel vehicle here. A flex-fuel vehicle has an internal combustion engine that is designed to run on alternative fuel made by combing petrol with ethanol or methanol. Noting that India is at a critical point, Takeuchi recollected Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to citizens to save fuel and reduce import dependence. "On the other hand, we have to proceed steadily in this Amrit Kaal towards self-reliance and Viksit Bharat by 2047," he said. For both objectives, he
Puri asserted that the Flex Fuel Vehicles offer India a practical solution to reduce crude oil imports, strengthen the rural economy through ethanol demand, and advance low-carbon mobility
India is likely to bring a mandate on blending isobutanol with diesel as early as this year to improve energy security in the country and decarbonise the road and highways sector, Ministry of Roads, Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Secretary V Umashankar said on Friday. Addressing the 'CII Multimodal Transportation and Logistics Summit', Umashankar further said that the highways ministry may bring a draft notification on truck-trailers interchangeability soon to build an ecosystem that needs battery-swapping and battery charging for electric heavy duty commercial vehicles. "Blending of diesel has been looked into with great seriousness. Bharat Petroleum is already undertaking strategic research for isobutanol blending with diesel. And the results are very encouraging. "It is quite likely that the blending mandate will start coming in somewhere later this year," he said. Umashankar said since diesel consumption is almost two times that of petrol, the impact on blending in terms of die
Higher ethanol blending beyond E20 may reduce fuel efficiency, increase component wear, he added
BIS has issued standards for E22-E30 fuel blends as India prepares the technical framework for higher ethanol use in petrol-powered vehicles
The move comes as the government prepares for the next phase of its ethanol-blending programme beyond E20, after advancing the target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol from 2030 to 2025-26
Sugar industry stakeholders and global experts will discuss sustainability, ethanol blending, policy, and technological innovation at a two-day conference in Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh's ethanol output rose 23 per cent in 2024-25, supporting India's biofuel push and strengthening the state's farm economy
Bureau of Energy Efficiency is considering revising fuel-efficiency norms using E25 as the base fuel amid efforts to cut crude oil imports and boost ethanol blending
India is preparing the ground for E85 and E100 fuels, but moving beyond E20 will depend on whether the country can produce enough ethanol, store it safely, and distribute it efficiently at scale
The issue has figured prominently in recent internal deliberations in the automotive industry, Business Standard has learnt
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said the draft includes provisions for E85 fuel, a blend of 85% ethanol with petrol, and E100, which would allow vehicles to run on nearly pure ethanol
Policy discussions on flex-fuel vehicles gather pace as supply disruptions from West Asia underscore the need to expand ethanol blending and reduce fuel import dependence
The change allows for the inclusion of alternative and synthesised components within the fuel mix
Rising fuel prices, higher ethanol blending and improving EV ranges could accelerate electric vehicle adoption in India, says BMW Group India chief
India's E20 fuel rollout boosts ethanol blending, but rising fuel demand keeps crude import dependence high, raising questions on its impact on energy security
As the war in Iran rattles global oil markets, Brazil is partially shielded by a decades-old buffer against shocks that is both cheap and environmentally friendly. Tens of millions of drivers here can choose between filling their tank with 100 per cent sugarcane-based ethanol or a gasoline blend that contains 30 per cent of biofuel. Brazil's massive dual-fuel fleet - consisting of vehicles capable of running on any combination of ethanol and gasoline - is unique in its scale. The program, launched in 1975 during the country's military dictatorship, has successfully evolved in democratic times to reduce dependency on foreign oil. Today, as the latest conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel enters its fifth week, nations like India and Mexico are looking at the Brazilian model as a blueprint for energy security. While consumers worldwide face steep price hikes, Brazilian gasoline prices rose just 5 per cent in March - compared to 30 per cent in the United States. Analys
Government explores E25 fuel shift beyond E20, but automakers flag emission risks, liability concerns, and lack of testing amid rising crude oil pressures
Surplus ethanol capacity and rising geopolitical risks revive calls for higher blending targets as India weighs E30, flex fuels and even E50 to bolster energy security