India now has a new source of fuel. It is known as E85. The central government has recently launched it. It is less expensive and eco-friendly as compared to regular petrol. However, all cars in India cannot operate using this fuel. So, if you are keen to use alternative fuels, then this article on E85 is important.

It is one of the most highly concentrated ethanol fuel types. Approximately 80 to 85 percent of it is ethanol and rest 14 to 19 percent petrol. It has a difference from existing fuel E20. The latter consists of only 20 percent of ethanol. Government thinks that the use of E85 fuel will help boost their ethanol blending program in India to achieve the target of around 26 percent blending of ethanol in the country till 2030-31.

The best part of this fuel type is its cost-effectiveness. On average, E85 costs about ₹20 per liter less than petrol. This could provide economic benefits to those who use flex-fuel vehicles. It could also play a significant role in reducing the country's dependence on crude oil imports.

In the initial phase, E85 fuel is being made available at 48 public sector fuel stations across the country. It has already become available in Delhi. The goal is to expand it to 500 petrol pumps by December 2026 and then to approximately 5,000 outlets by December 2027. This means its network can be rapidly expanded in the coming years.

This is the most important question. Currently, most vehicles on Indian roads are not compatible with E85 fuel. Only flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) can use this fuel. Such vehicles are designed to run on various ethanol blends, from E20 to E100.

A few select flex-fuel models are currently available in India. Hero launched the Splendor Plus Flex Fuel and HF Deluxe Flex Fuel motorcycles. Just a day after this launch, Maruti Suzuki Wagon R also introduced India's first flex-fuel car. Following this, other automobile companies are also preparing to launch new and compatible flex-fuel models in the Indian market very soon.

India has been continuously emphasizing increasing ethanol blending in the past few years. According to government data, ethanol blending was only 1.53% in 2014. Currently, this figure has reached 20%. This achievement was achieved nearly five years ahead of target. This program helped the country save approximately ₹1.84 lakh crore in foreign exchange.