Centre notifies E100 fuel norms for flex-fuel vehicles, restricts use to compatible cars

The Centre has amended the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, to introduce provisions for vehicles running on 100 per cent ethanol (E100) fuel, allowing its use in flex-fuel vehicles from Monday.

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the amendments replace several references to E85 fuel with “E85 or E100” across emission standards and testing requirements. However, the government has clarified that these fuels can be used only in flex-fuel vehicles specifically designed by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

The changes also revise certain fuel and vehicle classifications, including an increase in the gross vehicle weight threshold in one emission table from 3,000 kg to 3,500 kg.

Other amendments update references to hydrogen-compressed natural gas (HCNG), petrol blended with up to 20 per cent ethanol (E20), and biodiesel standards. The notification also makes technical corrections to emission-testing tables and related notes.

Earlier this year, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said that switching to a car running entirely on ethanol could bring fuel costs down to the equivalent of around Rs 25 per litre.

Meanwhile, a report by Brickwork Ratings estimated that India's ethanol demand could reach 17.9 billion litres by the financial year 2031 under an E25 blending scenario in its base case.

The report said India's existing installed distillation capacity of 18.25 billion litres was sufficient to meet demand under both the base and bear scenarios.

“The base case translates into utilisation of approximately 98 per cent of the existing 18.25 billion litre capacity. If blending remains at E20, demand is estimated at 14.3 billion litres under the bear case, implying utilisation of around 78 per cent,” the report said.

Gadkari has also highlighted the use of ethanol in vehicles internationally, saying, “Ethanol is being used in 19 countries in the world and today no complaint is coming from any vehicle in India.”

(With IANS inputs)