New Delhi, June 4 (IANS): Maruti Suzuki on Thursday introduced the WagonR flex-fuel, India’s first passenger car engineered to run on ethanol-petrol blends ranging from E20 to E100. The launch marks a significant milestone in India’s clean mobility push, aimed at reducing dependence on conventional petrol amid global crude volatility. Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari attended the unveiling, highlighting government initiatives to promote alternative fuels, including plans to blend diesel with 15% isobutanol. He urged automakers to convert older vehicles into flex-fuel models and align with stricter Euro 6 emission standards, noting such measures would help curb pollution and support the vehicle scrappage programme.
Maruti Suzuki Managing Director Hisashi Takeuchi said the company is investing in compressed biogas projects and exploring hydrogen fuel technologies as part of its broader clean mobility strategy. Senior executive Partho Banerjee added that Maruti contributed nearly half of all green vehicle sales in the industry last year. Gadkari described the automobile sector as a key growth driver for India’s economy, now the world’s third-largest, and emphasized the role of flex-fuel adoption in shaping sustainable transport. The WagonR flex-fuel launch positions Maruti at the forefront of India’s biofuel transition, offering consumers a mass-market vehicle capable of operating entirely on ethanol while reinforcing the government’s vision for cleaner, more resilient mobility solutions.