India will begin rolling out up to 100 E85 fuel dispensing stations across key urban corridors, including the National Capital Region, Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur, as part of a phased expansion plan to promote flex-fuel adoption in the country, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday.
Speaking at the launch of the Maruti Suzuki WagonR Flex Fuel here, Puri said that E85, a fuel blend containing up to 85 per cent ethanol, has been identified as the mono-fuel standard for flex-fuel vehicles under Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications.
He also said that E85 is being positioned as one of the cleanest fuel options, even when compared to electric vehicles, as part of India’s broader transition towards alternative energy sources. “The rollout of flex-fuel infrastructure will be expanded in phases, with the number of E85 dispensing stations set to increase to 500 by December 2026 and further scale up to 5,000 outlets across major cities by the end of 2027,” he mentioned.
Highlighting the shift in India’s mobility landscape, Puri said the adoption of flex-fuel technology has now moved beyond two-wheelers to four-wheelers, marking a significant expansion in the ecosystem. He also noted that if 50 per cent of new two-wheeler and four-wheeler sales transition to flex-fuel vehicles, it could unlock an additional ethanol demand of 311.8 crore litres, generate nearly Rs 12,403 crore in additional income for farmers, and reduce carbon emissions by about 66.4 lakh metric tonnes.
“This not only helps lower our energy import bill but also empowers our farmers with an additional and sustainable source of income, transforming them from the nation’s Annadatas into Urjadatas as well,” he explained. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, who was also present at the event, said he expects more automobile manufacturers to enter the flex-fuel segment as India accelerates its shift towards cleaner mobility solutions.
The push for E85 fuel comes amid elevated global crude oil prices, driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions, which have impacted oil marketing companies and led to fuel price hikes across the country. Puri noted that India experienced relatively lower price increases compared to Japan, even as the domestic fuel market continues to absorb global shocks.