New Delhi, June 3 -- In a major leap for India's green economy, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday launched Hero MotoCorp's first-ever flex-fuel motorcycle models.

The indigenous, ethanol-powered two-wheelers are primed to slash the country's massive crude oil import bill, clean up urban air quality, and channel fuel expenditures back into the rural agrarian economy.

Developed entirely at Hero MotoCorp's Centre for Innovation & Technology (CIT) in Jaipur, the flex-fuel iterations of the iconic Splendor+ and HF Deluxe motorcycles are capable of running seamlessly on both conventional petrol and ethanol blends.

During the launch, Gadkari dropped another major automotive headline, revealing that the flex...