Auto companies to be ordered to make flexible-fuel configuration

New Delhi: The union government may soon issue an order instructing auto companies to manufacture passenger and commercial vehicles that run on multiple fuel configurations. The goal is to lower the use of polluting fossil fuels and cut down harmful emissions.

20% ethanol blended petrol fuel could be introduced in India by 2023. A nationwide rollout is expected by 2025.

New guidelines for use of flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) using flex engines are expected to be issued by the third quarter of the current year (FY22), reports said. Flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) are a modified version of automobiles that will run on both gasoline and dope petrol.

The use of FFVs will be advantageous to many Indians because it will allow vehicles to run on different blends of ethanol mixed petrol. Currently, mixing up to 10% of ethanol in petrol is allowed. But it is only allowed in 15 states due to short supply. Other states use a blend ranging from 0-5%.

The guidelines will also specify engine configuration and other changes required in vehicles to conform to stipulated changes in the fuel mix. An incentive scheme to promote the manufacture and use of flex engines in vehicles is also in the works.

The Ministry of Heavy Industries will have to keep an eye on the adoption of vehicle standards, technologies, and retrofitting configurations after FFV is introduced.

Petroleum Secretary Tarun Kapoor told IANS that the Indian government is actively working to increase the use of biofuels in the country. Brazil has already adopted the new model, with the majority of the vehicles sold in the country being FFVs.