Indian vehicle and two-wheeler buyers will soon be able to purchase their prefered vehicle with a flex-fuel engine. The first vehicles with flex-fuel engines might enter the market by the summer of next year if Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's advice is followed.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari highlighted the need of making the move immediately after providing an advise to carmakers to deploy flex-fuel engines in automobiles within six months.

Gadkari stated in a series of tweets that carmakers should begin producing flex-fuel cars and flex-fuel strong hybrid electric vehicles that meet BS-6 standards in a timely way. The strategy, according to Gadkari, is in accordance with Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the government's aim of pushing ethanol as a transport fuel.

In the case of flex-fuel strong hybrid electric cars, they can operate on a mix of 100 percent petrol or 100 percent bio-ethanol and their blends, as well as strong hybrid electric technology.

Gadkari further emphasised how flex-fuel engines might assist India meet its COP26 carbon reduction target. The action will also assist India in lowering its fuel import expenditure at a time when gasoline and diesel prices have skyrocketed.

To promote the implementation of flex-fuel cars, the Centre has created a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) plan for carmakers, auto component producers, and auto components of flex-fuel engines. Gadkari has stated that automakers such as TVS Motors and Bajaj Auto had already begun producing flex-fuel engines for their two- and three-wheelers.

According to an official statement, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has mandated that, in addition to conventional fuel, authorised entities must instal a facility for marketing at least one new generation alternate fuel - compressed natural gas (CNG), bio-fuels, liquefied natural gas (LNG), electric vehicle charging points, and so on - while adhering to various statutory guidelines, and that immediate steps be taken to introduce flex-fuel engine vehicles.

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