Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari unveiled the world's first prototype of the BS 6 Stage II ‘Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle developed by Toyota Kirloskar Motor. The prototype is an innovative variant of Toyota's Innova car. It was unveiled on August 29, Tuesday, during the Mint Sustainability Summit.
"Farmers are now sowing more and more of sugar cane as because of the potential of ethanol. Today's announcement is a boon for farmers of India," said Gadkari.
What sets this Toyota Innova apart is its distinctive feature of operating on a combination of electricity and biofuel. Specifically, it utilises ethanol, a plant-derived biofuel known as "E100". This approach aligns with India's continuous efforts to foster the adoption of alternative and eco-friendly fuels in the automotive sector.
Gadkari earlier said that this upcoming car will hold the distinction of being the first globally to comply with Stage 2 BS6 standards while exclusively utilising 100 percent ethanol, denoted by the "E100" label. This achievement holds immense significance for India, marking a rapid transition from the introduction of E10 to the advent of E100 vehicles in an impressively short timeframe.
India's automotive sector has witnessed the introduction of robust hybrid vehicles, including models like the Toyota Innova Hycross, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Maruti Suzuki Invicto, Honda City Hybrid, and Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder.
Indian manufacturers such as Mahindra and Tata are also actively engaged in developing a range of zero-emission vehicles slated for release within the next few years.
Earlier, Gadkari introduced the Toyota Mirai EV, which operates on hydrogen-derived electricity.
What is Flex-fuel technology?
Flex-fuel compatible cars are capable of running on more than one type of fuel, or a mixture of petrol with ethanol or methanol. The engine of the flex fuel car automatically adjusts for any ratio of fuel, with the help of modifications like a fuel composition sensor. These flex-fuel engines can run on up to 85 percent petrol with ethanol (e85 Flex Fuel) and are already available in countries such as Brazil, the US and Canada.
Flex fuel vehicles are more efficient and have improved acceleration performance when they are fuelled with higher ethanol blends, as per the US Department of Energy.
Difference between normal petrol cars and flex-fuel cars
Most of the parts of the flexible fuel vehicles are similar to that of petrol-only vehicles but certain modifications in the flex-fuel cars allow them to operate on petrol or its blend with ethanol up to 85 percent.
The difference is a set of certain ethanol-compatible components and modifications to the fuel pump and fuel injection system. Flex fuel vehicles are also calibrated with Engine Control Module to accommodate the higher oxygen content of ethanol. This system monitors and controls the fuel mixture, ignition timing, and emissions system and keeps a track of the operation of the vehicle and ensures safety from overuse.
Government’s push for flex fuels
The Government of India is keen to introduce flex-fuel vehicles in the country and is also seeking collaboration with Brazil which has a well-developed market for flex-fuel vehicles. Since India is one of the largest sugarcane producers, it has great potential to produce enormous amounts of ethanol.
The ‘National Policy on Biofuels’ notified by the Government in 2018 targeted the introduction of E20 flex-fuel (80 percent petrol, 20 per cent ethanol) by 2023. As per the new regulation automakers will be compelled to manufacture engines compatible with the fuel.
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