Will issue order mandating carmakers to introduce flex-fuel engines soon: Gadkari

In a bid to push alternative fuel, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said that the government would mandate automobile manufacturers to power vehicles with flex engines in coming months.

"In the next 3 to 4 months, I will be issuing an order, mandating all vehicle manufacturers to power vehicles with flex engines (that can run on more than one fuel)," Gadkari said while addressing an event.

Earlier Gadkari had said auto manufacturers would be required to add biofuel-compatible vehicles to their portfolio in the next six months.

Also Read | India advances 20% ethanol-blending in petrol to 2025, says PM Modi

Gadkari has been aggressively pushing for flex-fuel engines in an attempt to reduce dependency on expensive crude oil from abroad.

Flex fuel, or flexible fuel, is an alternative fuel made of a combination of gasoline and methanol or ethanol. Current regulations allow for a 10 per cent blend only (E10) with a proposed 20 per cent ethanol blend in petrol scheduled to be introduced in 2025.

He also said that India will shift its public transport fleet to green fuels like bio-CNG, ethanol, methanol, electricity and green hydrogen. Blend of ethanol will also help farmers to earn more money, he said.

Flex-fuel engines will offer a CNG-like option for petrol car owners. This is the government's push for ethanol-based fuel in India.

In India, a litre of ethanol is currently priced at Rs 62.65 against nearly Rs 100 for a litre of petrol while diesel price around Rs 90 for a litre. Ethanol or ethanol-blended petrol can considerably reduce burden on consumers.

Flex-fuel vehicles are widely used in several countries including US, Canada and Brazil.

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