Maruti’s new flex-fuel car runs on 100 percent ethanol

The Essentials

• Maruti Suzuki has introduced India’s first passenger vehicle capable of running on pure ethanol-petrol blends.
• The engine is designed to operate on varying fuel mixtures ranging from standard E20 all the way up to E100.
• Drivers in the Delhi-NCR and Mumbai-Pune-Nagpur corridors will be the first to get access to 50 to 100 dedicated retail outlets.

The Pulse

Maruti Suzuki has delivered a passenger vehicle that does not rely solely on petrol, running instead on flex-fuel blends up to E100. This is a direct shift away from standard internal combustion engines, allowing drivers to fuel up using high-ethanol mixtures that are actively being subsidised to reduce crude oil imports.

If you are wondering where to find this fuel, the government is currently rolling out an initial network of dedicated retail outlets. The plan identifies E85 as the standard mono-fuel under BIS specifications, aiming to establish 500 stations by December 2026, and scaling up to 5,000 across major cities by the end of 2027.

For drivers, this transitions ethanol from a background blending mandate handled by refineries into a direct consumer choice at the pump.

The Snapshot

The Big Picture

The automotive industry is rapidly hedging its bets beyond battery electric vehicles. With Hero MotoCorp also introducing flex-fuel motorcycles, the internal combustion engine is finding a second life through alternative fuels. By hitting its 20 percent ethanol blending target five years ahead of schedule, the Indian government is aggressively building an agricultural supply chain to reduce crude oil dependency. If half of all new two and four-wheelers make this switch, it creates a ₹12,403 crore domestic market for farmers while maintaining the familiar refuelling habits of drivers.

The India Prospective

For a daily commuter in Mumbai or Delhi, this means a practical alternative to the high upfront cost of electric vehicles, without remaining entirely dependent on volatile petrol prices. The government is actively working on road tax concessions and pricing support to make flex-fuel cars competitive from day one. Early adopters living along the initial Mumbai-Pune-Nagpur or Delhi-NCR fuel corridors will be the first to test whether E85 pumps can genuinely rival the convenience of traditional petrol stations.

The Inside Intel

NITI Aayog officially classifies flex-fuel vehicles running on high blends like E85 as Zero-Emission Vehicles. Because E85 fuel produces near-zero particulate matter, these cars are placed in the same regulatory conversation as fully electric vehicles despite still using internal combustion engines.

The UDHQ. Take

Unbox Daily HQ. recommends holding off on any purchase decisions until the dedicated E85 pumps are actually operational in your specific city. While the ability to run on pure ethanol is a brilliant engineering answer to high petrol costs, you do not want to be stuck hunting for specialised fuel stations on your morning commute. The government is promising supportive measures like road tax concessions, which could make this highly lucrative, but owning one only makes sense once the targeted 500 outlets are live. Keep an eye on this category over the next year as Maruti confirms the final retail price.

Best for: Early technology adopters living in the Delhi-NCR or Mumbai-Pune corridors who want a greener alternative to pure petrol.

Who Is This For: Perfect for 30 to 45-year-old daily commuters in major metros who regularly drive long distances and want lower running costs without electric vehicle range anxiety.

The Checkout

Maruti Suzuki – India Page

The Source

Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas | PIB.GOV.