India unveils world’s first BS-6 electrified flex fuel vehicle prototype

The BS-6 Stage-II Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle is a game changer, combining a flex-fuel engine and an electric drivetrain for increased efficiency. This achievement demonstrates India’s ethanol potential, green technology promotion, and progress towards energy self-sufficiency.

In a significant announcement Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing & Urban Affairs, expressed the tremendous potential of Flex Fuel Vehicle (FFV) technologies in revolutionising the energy and automobile sectors. He emphasised how these technologies could facilitate a substantial reduction in the consumption of gasoline by promoting the use of ethanol blends exceeding 20 percent. This vision aimed to harness the benefits of renewable energy sources to power vehicles, contributing to a greener and more sustainable future.

World’s First BS-6 Stage-II Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle Prototype

The newly unveiled prototype of the world’s first BS-6 Stage-II Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle is developed by Toyota Kirloskar Motor. This groundbreaking vehicle marked a significant milestone in automotive technology as it integrated a flex-fuel engine with an electric powertrain. This important development emphasises the importance of this initiative, underscoring its potential to combine higher ethanol utilisation with enhanced fuel efficiency. Through collaborative efforts between the industry and the government, India could emerge as a global hub for cleaner technologies and achieve self-reliance in energy production.

Nitin Gadkari, the Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, served as the chief guest at the event, lauded the unveiling of the world’s first prototype of the BS-6 Stage II Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle, which was based on the Innova Hycross platform. This pioneering vehicle was engineered to comply with India’s stringent emission standards, making it the first-ever BS-6 Stage-II Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle prototype on a global scale. Gadkari further outlined the forthcoming stages for this prototype, including rigorous refinement, homologation, and certification processes.

Exploring India’s vast ethanol potential beyond the E20 mix

India’s substantial ethanol potential is extending beyond the E20 ethanol blend. This further brings an opportunity for the country to tap into this excess potential by promoting flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) and flex-fuel strong hybrid electric vehicles (FFV-SHEVs), including electrified flex-fuel vehicles. electrified flex-fuel vehicles, equipped with both a flex fuel engine and an electric powertrain, offered the dual benefits of increased ethanol usage and significantly improved fuel efficiency, akin to Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicles (SHEVs).

Furthermore, influential bodies such as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Energy Transition Advisory Committee (ETAC) have strongly advocated the promotion of green technologies, including SHEVs and Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicles, to expedite the transition away from fossil fuels and accelerate decarbonisation efforts. E-flex fuel vehicles, with their minimal reliance on advanced chemistry batteries, mitigated potential geopolitical risks associated with battery raw material supplies.

Government initiatives towards energy self-reliance and carbon emission reduction

The government’s initiative is to realise the Prime Minister’s vision of achieving ‘Atmanirbharta’ (self-reliance) in energy production by 2047 while leading the global fight against climate change. The remarkable progress was achieved in just eight years, with ethanol blending in India increasing over eightfold, rising from 1.53 percent in 2014 to approximately 11.5 percent by March 2023. This not only resulted in substantial savings in import bills but also contributed to a reduction in carbon emissions.