India unveils world's first BS-VI ethanol-powered car

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, introduced the world to the groundbreaking prototype of the first Bharat Stage (BS)-VI-compliant electrified flex-fuel car, developed by Toyota Kirloskar Motor. This pioneering vehicle, based on the Toyota Innova HyCross, operates on 100 per cent ethanol (E100) and represents a significant leap in India's sustainable transportation landscape.

The vehicle is designed to cover 40 per cent of its distance on ethanol and the remaining 60 per cent on electric power, with the petrol engine automatically shut off. The move towards increased ethanol demand for blending with petrol and diesel holds the promise of transforming India's agricultural economy, empowering farmers as 'energy providers,' according to Gadkari.

This vehicle marks a significant milestone as it complies with India's BS-VI emission standards, differentiating it from other flex-fuel cars internationally. Currently, agriculture and allied industries contribute only 12 per cent to India's GDP, despite the majority of the population depending on agriculture. The ethanol industry's growth potential signifies a monumental shift in the agricultural sector.

Gadkari expressed his belief that as the demand for ethanol rises, the share of agriculture in India's GDP will also increase, ultimately reaching 20 per cent. Furthermore, successful tests of alternative fuels in various sectors, including generators, vehicles, and aircraft, have been conducted.

Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, highlighted the substantial progress made in ethanol blending, with a target to achieve E20 blending by 2025, five years ahead of the original plan. Currently at 11.75 per cent ethanol blending, the government aims to reach 20 per cent soon. E20 fuel will be available nationwide by April 2025, with the potential to save Rs 350 billion on the import bill and displace 63 million barrels of gasoline imports.

Masakazu Yoshimura, CEO of Toyota Kirloskar Motor, emphasised the company's commitment to shaping a carbon-neutral mobility society in alignment with the Government of India's initiatives. Toyota continues to introduce cleaner technologies, striving for a greener and self-reliant future for India.