India has amended its vehicle regulations to facilitate the introduction of flex-fuel vehicles certified to operate on high-ethanol fuels, including E85 and E100.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has revised the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, expanding emission-certification provisions that previously covered E85 to explicitly include E100.

Manufacturers seeking certification must ensure that these vehicles meet the applicable safety and emissions standards for their category.

E85 is a petrol-ethanol blend containing as much as 85% ethanol by volume, while E100 consists predominantly of ethanol.

The revised framework applies only to vehicles engineered and certified for these fuels.

Compatibility with E10 or E20 does not mean that a vehicle can safely use E85 or E100.

The changes do not require owners of existing vehicles to convert their vehicles or use high-ethanol fuels.

Motorists should instead refer to fuel-compatibility labels on their vehicles and follow manufacturer instructions in the owner’s manual before selecting a fuel grade.

Flex-fuel vehicles use fuel-system materials designed for higher ethanol concentrations, alongside engine-management systems that detect the blend in a single fuel tank and automatically adjust combustion settings.

The technology is already deployed at scale in markets including Brazil and the US, according to the statement.

MoRTH said increased consumption of domestically produced ethanol could help reduce India’s reliance on imported crude oil.

It could also lower certain tailpipe pollutants and reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions, although the environmental outcome depends on the ethanol feedstock and production process.

The notification also revises biodiesel-related provisions and introduces technical corrections to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules.

In June, Maruti Suzuki India launched the Wagon R FFV, the first Suzuki model built to run on any ethanol-petrol blend.

The Indian arm of Suzuki Motor presented it as a way to cut particulate matter emissions and improve local air quality, within a wider powertrain strategy spanning hybrids, battery electric vehicles, and compressed natural gas and compressed biogas options alongside flex-fuel technology.