Maruti Suzuki launches India's first flex-fuel car

India's largest automaker, Maruti Suzuki, launched the country's first mass-market flex-fuel passenger car on Thursday, a significant step in the government's push to adopt alternative fuels. The WagonR Flex Fuel, unveiled at an event in New Delhi, is engineered to run on a wide spectrum of ethanol-petrol blends, from E20 to pure ethanol (E100).

The launch, attended by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, coincides with intensified efforts to reduce India's dependence on imported crude oil and lower carbon emissions. On the same day, Hero MotoCorp introduced flex-fuel versions of its Splendor and HF Deluxe motorcycles, marking the first such offerings in the 100cc segment.

Flex-fuel vehicles are equipped with modified internal combustion engines and sensors that automatically detect the fuel blend and adjust engine settings for optimal performance. Maruti Suzuki officials stated the WagonR Flex Fuel features corrosion-resistant fuel system components, reinforced engine internals, and an upgraded catalytic converter to handle ethanol's properties. The vehicle retains the WagonR's familiar design...