Maruti Suzuki India Limited on Wednesday launched India’s first flex-fuel car, the Wagon R, in the presence of Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri — a move the company said aligns with national energy security and Atmanirbhar Bharat goals.
The launch marks a significant shift in India’s alternative-fuel vehicle landscape. A flex-fuel car allows customers to run on any blend of ethanol and petrol, from E20 to E100. The Wagon R was chosen for the rollout given its history as a pioneer of alternative-fuel technology in India, having previously supported CNG and LPG variants.
Wagon R becomes first Indian car to run on any ethanol-petrol blend from E20 to E100
The Wagon R flex-fuel variant has been engineered specifically for ethanol-blended fuel compatibility, featuring advanced ECU calibration capable of seamlessly adapting to any ethanol blend between E20 and E100. However, the car is homologated with E85 fuel, as the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 (CMVR) GSR 27(E) defines flex fuel as E20 to E85. Its certification as India’s first flex-fuel car is based on JATO Dynamics certification dated 29 May 2026.
What ministers said
Gadkari said India imports large quantities of crude oil annually and biofuels like ethanol are a critical pathway to reducing that dependence. “Flex-Fuel Vehicles can create a strong and sustainable demand for ethanol, benefiting our farmers, industry, and the environment together,” he said, adding that he expects the move to encourage other carmakers and oil companies to scale up flex-fuel models and ethanol distribution infrastructure, respectively.
Puri framed the launch within the government’s broader ethanol programme, saying the country had transformed farmers from annadatas (food providers) to urjadatas (energy providers). “Flex-Fuel Vehicles are a win-win for the nation — reducing crude oil import dependence, saving valuable foreign exchange, lowering emissions, and creating new opportunities for rural prosperity,” he said.
Maruti’s multi-fuel strategy
Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said the company is committed to offering cars across multiple technologies and fuels including BEVs, hybrids, CNG/CBG, and now ethanol flex-fuel vehicles. “The ecosystem for ethanol as a fuel in India is in its early stages, and as a market leader, we think it is our responsibility to contribute to make ‘India Go Flex’,” Takeuchi said.
He added that at scale, flex-fuel vehicles have the potential to cut oil imports, carbon emissions, and local air pollution while enhancing domestic value addition and farmer incomes.
