Maruti Suzuki, like many other automakers, is known to be developing flex fuel vehicles. We now have fresh information on the launch timelines of the first of these products. Interestingly, it has come from the most unexpected source. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, in a recent speech, said that Maruti Suzuki will launch vehicles running on 100% Ethanol (flex fuel) at an event in Delhi in June.
Speaking at the 19th Rozgarmela organised by the Government of India in Nagpur, Gadkari talked (5:00 onwards) about the role of fossil fuel in increasing the air pollution in India. He said he is happy about how India has been actively adopting electric cars, two-wheelers, buses and even electric tractors. He then talked about flex fuel vehicles and how he has himself been using one (Toyota Hycross flex fuel) for the past one and a half years.
After stating that pure Ethanol can be a good import substitute and cost-effective, pollution-free, fuel alternative, Gadkari said that there is a program in Delhi on World Environment day this year, where Maruti Suzuki will launch vehicles running on 100% Ethanol. World Environment Day falls on June 5th- hardly two weeks from the day of writing.
In his speech, the Minister also said that flex-fuel engines will soon be introduced on a large scale. Companies like Toyota, Tata, Mahindra, and Suzuki, he said, are already working on such vehicles. Flex-fuel-powered two-wheelers have also started arriving. Gadkari also added that we should all minimize the use of petrol, diesel and gas, to minimize oil imports.
Maruti Suzuki has already showcased two Flex Fuel Vehicle (FFV) concepts, based on the Fronx and the WagonR. The Fronx FFV was showcased at the Japan Mobility Show last year. It is set for a 2026 market launch.
It will be able to run on Ethanol blends of up to E85 ( 85% Ethanol blended petrol). It is likely to be the carmaker’s first flex-fuel product here. Another possibility is the Wagon-R flex fuel. This, if launched, will become India’s first mass-market FFV. The show cars at both Auto Expo 2023 and Bharat Mobility Expo 2025 were near production-ready.
Now, let’s talk about the powertrains. Regular petrol engines need extensive modifications to be able to handle E85 and pure Ethanol. The Fronx FFV is expected to use a modified version of the 1.2-litre Z12E naturally aspirated petrol engine. On the outgoing car, this unit makes 88hp and 113Nm. The FFV will come with ethanol-resistant fuel lines, upgraded injectors, different fuel pumps and an Ethanol content sensor.
On the other hand, the Wagon-R flex fuel version is expected to be powered by a modified version of the 1.2-litre naturally aspirated engine. It will also have a heated fuel rail, upgraded fuel pumps, new injectors, a recalibrated ECU and Ethanol content sensors. This engine will be able to operate on blends ranging from E20 to E85.
Suzuki had previously revealed that both its 1.2 litre and 1.5 litre petrol engines can be converted into flex-fuel engines. In the case of both the 1.2 engine and the Z12E, we can expect a slight premium in pricing for the flex fuel version. Flex-fuel hardware itself isn’t too expensive, but validation and calibration cost money. This may reflect in overall pricing.
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