New Delhi, Oct. 26 -- The Road Transport Ministry on Monday notified amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, allowing flex-fuel vehicles designed and certified to run on ethanol blends of up to E100, or nearly pure ethanol, while retaining strict safety and emission requirements for approved vehicles.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) said the changes update emission certification provisions by explicitly including E100 alongside E85, which contains 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol. "Vehicles certified for these fuels must meet the emission and safety requirements applicable to their category," the ministry said.

A senior ministry official clarified that fuels with ethanol concentrations above E20, which contains 20 per cent ethanol, can only be used in vehicles specifically designed and certified for them. Conventional petrol vehicles and those approved for E20 cannot use E85 or E100, as their engines and fuel systems may not be compatible with higher ethanol concentrations.

The amendments also revise biodiesel-related provisions, introduce technical corrections and raise the applicable vehicle weight threshold for light petrol and diesel vehicles from 3,000 kg to 3,500 kg.

The regulatory changes come as the government seeks to reduce India's dependence on imported crude oil, a major contributor to the country's current account deficit. India has already introduced E20 petrol nationwide as part of its efforts to expand the use of alternative fuels.

In June, Maruti Suzuki India launched the Wagon R Flex Fuel, described as India's first flex-fuel passenger vehicle, capable of running on ethanol-petrol blends ranging from E20 to E100. Toyota Motor Corporation, Tata Motors and Hyundai Motor Company are also developing flex-fuel vehicles for the Indian market.

Flex-fuel technology, already used in countries such as Brazil and the United States, allows vehicles to operate on different ethanol-petrol mixtures through a single fuel tank. Specially designed fuel systems and electronic engine controls adjust to the approved fuel composition.

The ministry had earlier proposed broader emission-rule changes covering E85, E100, B100 biodiesel and hydrogen-CNG combinations. The push for alternative fuels has gained relevance amid energy supply uncertainties linked to the West Asia conflict.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.