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Explained | E85 fuel launched in India for flex-fuel vehicles: What is it and who can use it?

Statesman News Service

Explained | E85 fuel launched for flex-fuel vehicles in India: Who can use it and why it matters


After achieving its ambitious ethanol blending targets ahead of schedule, India has taken another step in its biofuel journey with the rollout of E85 fuel for compatible flex-fuel vehicles. Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said E85 fuel has already been introduced; however, its use is currently limited to vehicles specifically designed to operate on higher ethanol blends.

The development comes as the government holds extensive consultations with automobile manufacturers and industry bodies on the future expansion of ethanol-based fuels across the country.

What is E85 fuel?

E85 is a fuel blend that contains up to 85 per cent ethanol and the remaining portion petrol. It is designed for flex-fuel vehicles that can run on varying combinations of petrol and ethanol without requiring engine modifications.

According to Hardeep Singh Puri, “At present, we are having very widespread discussions with the industry, including our automobile association, SIAM, and other organisations. Meanwhile, we have introduced E85 fuel. However, E85 has been introduced only for E85-compatible flex-fuel vehicles.”

The minister highlighted the country’s rapid progress in ethanol adoption. “From 2014 until now, we have increased ethanol blending from 1.5 per cent to 10 per cent, which was achieved in November 2022. Our target was to achieve 20 per cent blending by 2030, but we completed it in 2024 itself,” Puri said.

 

Key facts about E85 and India’s ethanol push

  • E85 fuel has been introduced for E85-compatible flex-fuel vehicles.
  • It contains a significantly higher proportion of ethanol compared to conventional petrol blends.
  • The government is holding discussions with SIAM and other industry stakeholders regarding future expansion.
  • Ethanol blending in petrol has increased from 1.5 per cent in 2014 to 20 per cent in 2024.
  • The 20 per cent blending target was achieved years before the original 2030 deadline.

 

Part of a wider energy strategy

Puri said the government’s long-term energy strategy includes increasing domestic production, expanding renewable energy capacity and boosting biofuel usage. He noted that under the Samudra Manthan initiative announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rs 90,000 crore has been allocated for drilling new wells and strengthening domestic energy production.

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