Government clears E100 fuel use in flex-fuel vehicles

The Road Transport Ministry on Monday notified changes to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, allowing flex-fuel vehicles that can run on up to E100, or nearly pure ethanol.

E100 fuel allows vehicles to run on nearly pure ethanol, marking another step in the government's efforts to promote alternative fuels and reduce dependence on imported crude oil.

A senior Road Transport Ministry official said fuel beyond E20 (20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol) and up to E100 is intended only for vehicles designed and certified to use it and will not be applicable to other vehicles. Vehicles that use E20 or normal fuel cannot use E85 or E100 fuel.

𝗘𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), in a statement, said the amendments update the emission certification provisions by expressly including E100 alongside E85.

"Vehicles certified for these fuels must meet the emission and safety requirements applicable to their category," it added.

The notification also updates biodiesel-related provisions and makes technical corrections.

Additionally, the government has raised the vehicle weight limit to 3,500 kg from the previous threshold of 3,000 kg for light petrol and diesel vehicles affected by these changes.

𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅-𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝘃𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀

In June this year, Maruti Suzuki India launched India's first flex-fuel passenger vehicle, introducing the Wagon R Flex Fuel, capable of running on ethanol-petrol blends from E20 to E100.

The government 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.

Flex-fuel vehicles are designed to run on higher ethanol blends such as E85 (85 per cent ethanol, 15 per cent petrol) and E100 (nearly 100 per cent ethanol), unlike conventional petrol vehicles currently approved for lower ethanol concentrations.

Major automakers, including Toyota Motor Corporation, Tata Motors and Hyundai Motor Company, are also developing flex-fuel vehicles for the Indian market as policymakers push to reduce the country's fossil fuel import bill.

In the current scenario, when the West Asia conflict has left many countries, including India, vulnerable to the energy crisis, flex-fuel vehicles assume all the more importance.

𝗣𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘀

Earlier, MoRTH proposed amendments to vehicle emission rules to widen the scope for higher ethanol blends and alternative fuels, paving the way for flex-fuel and pure biofuel vehicles across vehicle categories.

The draft changes to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, were aimed at providing for wider use of fuels such as E85 and E100, as well as B100 biodiesel and hydrogen-CNG combinations.

Flex-fuel technology is already used in countries such as Brazil and the United States. These vehicles are designed to operate on a range of ethanol and petrol blends using a single fuel tank.

Depending on the vehicle's design and certification, this range may extend to E85 or E100, a fuel consisting predominantly of ethanol. Fuel system components and materials are selected for the approved blends, and engine controls automatically adjust operation to the fuel composition.

This gives users flexibility to choose fuels within the range certified and declared by the manufacturer.