New Delhi, Oct. 26 -- The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has notified amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, allowing flex-fuel vehicles designed to operate on ethanol-petrol blends containing up to E100, or nearly pure ethanol.

The changes expand the regulatory framework for vehicles capable of using higher ethanol concentrations as India seeks to reduce its dependence on imported crude oil and promote alternative fuels.

A senior ministry official clarified that fuels with ethanol content exceeding E20, or 20% ethanol-blended petrol, and extending up to E100 are intended exclusively for vehicles designed and certified to use them. Conventional petrol vehicles approved for E20 or regular petrol cannot use highe...