India Gets Its First Flex Fuel Car; Here's What It Means

Published ByKonica Singh

|

2026-06-04

Follow us on:

India Gets Its First Flex Fuel Car; Here's What It Means

Maruti Wagon R is now India's first flex fuel car. It can run on fuel blends containing up to 85% ethanol. More E85 fuel stations are planned across the country.

Maruti Suzuki has become the first carmaker in India to introduce a flex fuel passenger vehicle. The company recently showcased the production-ready Wagon R Flex Fuel, which can run on ethanol-blended fuel with up to 85 percent ethanol content.

The launch comes as the government pushes for higher use of ethanol in fuel to reduce India's dependence on crude oil imports and promote cleaner mobility solutions.

What Is a Flex Fuel Car?

A flex fuel vehicle can run on different blends of petrol and ethanol. The Wagon R Flex Fuel is compatible with fuel blends ranging from E20 to E85.

Simply put, the car can use regular petrol mixed with varying amounts of ethanol. In the case of E85 fuel, the blend contains 85 percent ethanol and only 15 percent petrol.

Also Read: New Volkswagen Virtus Details Revealed – Design, Features, and More

What's Different About the Wagon R Flex Fuel?

The Wagon R Flex Fuel is powered by Maruti Suzuki's familiar 1.2-litre K12N petrol engine. However, the engine has been specially updated to handle higher ethanol content.

The company says the car can run on any blend between E20 and E85 without any issues. Maruti Suzuki has not yet revealed the power output or fuel efficiency figures of the flex fuel version.

Not Available for Private Buyers Yet

For now, the Wagon R Flex Fuel will only be offered to commercial customers. Fleet operators and cab aggregators such as Ola and Uber are expected to be among the first users of the vehicle.

Maruti Suzuki has also not announced the price of the model. Since the car gets additional modifications to support E85 fuel, it is likely to cost more than the regular petrol and CNG versions.

The Biggest Challenge Is Fuel Availability

While the technology is ready, E85 fuel is not widely available in India right now. Dedicated fuel stations and storage facilities are needed to support higher ethanol blends.

Currently, only a limited number of E85 fuel outlets are planned across select regions.

More E85 Fuel Stations Are Coming

The government has announced plans to expand E85 fuel availability in the coming years. Initially, around 50 to 100 fuel stations will be set up in areas such as Delhi-NCR and the Mumbai-Pune-Nagpur corridor.

This number is expected to increase to around 500 stations by the end of this year and could reach nearly 5,000 stations across major Indian cities by the end of 2027.

Also Read: Mahindra’s New Compact SUV Spotted With Diesel Engine

Follow us onCarLelo WhatsApp channelandGoogle News

About Author

Konica Singh

Sub-Editor

Konica Singh is a passionate Automotive Journalist who brings the world of cars to life, from EV trends to exciting new car launches. Backed by 7 years in content creation, she is skilled in writing, editing, and SEO strategy that drives engagement.

Education: MA English (Delhi University)

Social Media: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Email: konica.carlelo@gmail.com

Location: New Delhi

Read full Bio of Konica Singh