Maruti’s First Flex-fuel Car Is A Prototype Wagon R Running On E85 Fuel

The first flex-fuel production vehicle from Maruti is set to arrive in 2025 

• Maruti’s flex-fuel powertrain complies with the upcoming BS6 Phase II emission norms. 

• It has been modified to run on up to 85 per cent ethanol-blended petrol.  

• The current generation Wagon R is a test bed for the new technology. 

• First flex-fuel Maruti will likely be a compact model. 

Maruti has unveiled its prototype flex-fuel powertrain that can run on any concentration of ethanol-blended petrol, from E20 to E85. The Wagon R is a test bed for the extensively modified engine that will power future cars from the carmaker. The tech won’t be available in production models until 2025.  

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki, says, “Notably, our research shows that ethanol fuel based Wagon R Flex Fuel prototype vehicle operating on E85 fuel will help reduce tailpipe GHG emissions by 79 per cent in comparison to a conventional gasoline Wagon R model while ensuring the same power performance.” For reference, the Wagon R is offered with 67PS 1-litre petrol and 89PS 1.2-litre petrol engines. 

Takeuchi also says, “We will introduce our first Flex Fuel vehicle for the compact segment by 2025.” Ahead of that timeline, the carmaker aims to make its entire lineup compatible with E20 fuel (with 80 per cent petrol, 20 per cent ethanol) by March 2023. 

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Higher ethanol blends are still some time away, but the government does plan to make all cars E20 compatible by 2025. Ethanol-blended fuel is expected to be a lower-cost alternative to petrol, offering fossil fuel savings and reduction in running costs similar to CNG.