“100% ethanol flex-fuel vehicles to hit roads in 1-2 months” – Nitin Gadkari

India could soon see the rollout of flex-fuel vehicles capable of running on 100% ethanol, with major automakers expected to launch such models within the next one to two months, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said during an event.

Nitin Gadkari said that auto-makers like Mahindra, Toyota, Suzuki and Hyundai were likely to introduce vehicles with engines capable of using either petrol or 100% ethanol. Maruti Suzuki has already unveiled a flex-fuel version of the Wagon R.

He said the move was part of the government’s broader strategy to reduce India’s dependence on imported fossil fuels, lower pollution and create new opportunities for the agricultural sector. India currently spends around Rs 22 lakh crore on fossil-fuel imports, he said.

Gadkari also highlighted the impact of ethanol production on farmers. He said allowing corn to be used for ethanol had helped raise commercial corn prices from around ₹1,300 per quintal to Rs 2,600 per quintal, generating an estimated Rs 45,000 crore benefit for farmers in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Defending the nationwide rollout of E20 petrol, Gadkari said India had been using the fuel across millions of vehicles since 2022 without receiving complaints, despite concerns over its impact on vehicles.

The minister also projected that India’s electric vehicle market could reach Rs 20 lakh crore by 2030, supported by rising sales and job creation. He cited a 146% year-on-year increase in electric two-wheeler sales and highlighted measures such as lower customs duties on lithium-ion batteries and the PM E-DRIVE scheme.

‘Mills Should Look Beyond Sugar’

Gadkari also urged sugar mills to diversify beyond conventional sugar production and develop ethanol, compressed biogas (CBG) and other value-added products. Addressing an NFCSF awards event, he said dependence on sugar alone exposed mills to global price fluctuations caused by production surpluses in major sugar-producing countries.

He said diversification could improve the economic viability of sugar mills while creating additional revenue streams and strengthening farmers’ incomes.