Nitin Gadkari to Indian automakers: "Start making flex-fuel vehicles within six months."

India is rapidly adopting alternative fuels as a source of energy for automobiles, which are reported to be the country's major source of pollution. The Indian government has been attempting to make alternative fuel sources more available to the general public. While electric vehicles are one source of energy for autos, and various subsidies are granted in accordance with the FAME II policy, as well as state subsidies, the government is also concentrating on Flex-Fuel Vehicles.

Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, has stated that in order to reduce petroleum imports and provide direct benefits to farmers, automobile manufacturers in India have been advised to begin producing BS-6-compliant Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFV) and Flex-Fuel Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicles (FFV-SHEV) in a time-bound manner within six months.

Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFV-SHEVs) can run on a combination of 100 percent gasoline, 100 percent bioethanol, and their blends, as well as powerful Hybrid Electric technology. This action, according to the minister, will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles on a well-to-wheel basis, assisting India in meeting its pledge stated at COP26 to reduce overall anticipated carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030.

The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) programme includes automotive and auto components, as well as auto components of flex-fuel engines, in order to speed up the introduction of Flex Fuel vehicles. After appreciating the robust foundation for the ethanol blending programme (EBP), NITI Aayog has established an ethanol blending roadmap for the years 2020-2025.

According to an official statement, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has mandated that, in addition to conventional fuel, authorised entities must install a facility for marketing at least one new generation alternate fuel - compressed natural gas (CNG), biofuels, liquefied natural gas (LNG), electric vehicle charging points, and so on - while adhering to various statutory guidelines, and that immediate steps be taken to introduce flex-fuel engine vehicles.

In the next five years, larger percentages of ethanol are predicted to be blended into gasoline, necessitating the availability of flex engine vehicles.