India’s first flex-fuel vehicles are here, with Maruti Suzuki India Ltd and Hero Motocorp Ltd, unveiling versions of their entry-level models. The launch of these vehicles, which can run fully on ethanol, comes at a time when the Centre is looking to increase ethanol blending to cut crude oil imports.
While Maruti introduced the flex-fuel version of its entry-level model WagonR on Thursday, Hero rolled out similar versions of its HF Deluxe and Splendor+ a day earlier. More automakers are expected to follow in the next 12 months, with Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd having earlier committed to launching its flex-fuel model by early next year. With this, India follows Brazil, which adopted flex-fuel technologies beginning in the 1970s.
Vehicles with flex-fuel engines can run on any blend of fuel from E0 to E100.
“In the absence of an ecosystem, it is the responsibility of the market leader to take the first step and encourage others,” he added. Around 4.7 million passenger vehicles were sold in India FY26, with India’s largest carmaker Maruti accounting for around 40% of the market.
A day earlier, Hero MotoCorp, India’s largest two-wheeler maker, unveiled two flex fuel motorcycles, HF Deluxe and Splendor+, priced at ₹72,792 and ₹82,710, respectively, both priced considerably higher than their petrol variants. Both bikes are in the cheaper sub-100cc segment, suggesting that the company is targeting the mass market for volumes. India saw sales of over 21 million two-wheelers in FY26 with nearly two thirds of the volume coming from motorcycles.
Oil marketing companies () are planning to sell E85 and E100 fuel from at least 5,000 fuel stations by the end of 2027, starting from Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and Pune. Automakers and the Indian government are yet to address questions on the pricing and fuel efficiency of E85 and E100 fuels.
“The launch of the flex fuel-ready Splendor+ and HF Deluxe marks another important step in our commitment towards cleaner and sustainable mobility. Developed at our Centre for Innovation & Technology (CIT) in Jaipur, these motorcycles underscore our commitment to delivering future-ready and locally relevant technologies,” Harshvardhan Chitale, chief executive at Hero Motocorp, said at the product launch.
The Centre moved to formally include higher ethanol blends—E85 and E100—under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules through a draft amendment in April. As part of the transition to higher ethanol blends, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) on 18 May notified technical standards for higher ethanol-blended petrol, including E22, E25, E27 and E30.
The push for flex-fuel vehicles has increased as India looks to reduce dependence on imported crude oil. The country imports nearly 90% of its crude oil requirements valued at more than $120 billion annually, with a significant share sourced from West Asia through the , which has been shut due to the war.
The question, however, remains whether these vehicles are accepted. Mint reported on 20 May that automakers told the government that consumers are unlikely to adopt flex-fuel vehicles unless high-ethanol fuels such as E85 and E100 are priced significantly below petrol.
“E85 fuel will be used for vehicles compliant with E85. It will be substantially cheaper than normal fuel,” Union Minister Puri said on Wednesday during the launch of Hero’s flex fuel motorcycles.
The debut of the new vehicles also comes as a relief for the country’s ethanol producers, who have been reeling under pressure owing to overcapacity. According to industry data, India has a capacity of 20 billion litres for ethanol production, while OMC procurement has so far remained around 10.5 billion litres.
“This launch comes at a critical moment in India’s transition towards sustainable and self-reliant energy solutions. Following the successful rollout of E20 petrol across the country, the introduction of flex-fuel vehicles capable of running on higher ethanol blends such as E85 and E100 signals the beginning of the next phase of India’s ethanol revolution,” Indian Sugar and Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) said in a statement on Thursday.
Experts suggest that adoption can be driven by the introduction of more models by different manufacturers, along with fiscal incentives from central and state governments.
“We understand that all major auto manufacturers, both in India and globally, are capable of rolling out flex-fuel vehicles. A clear policy direction on E85 will drive auto manufacturers to introduce flex-fuel vehicles. This, supported by fiscal incentives such as direct purchase subsidies and waiver of road tax, for instance, will drive adoption,” analysts at Care Edge ratings in a 14 May report.
