India Launches E85 Flex-Fuel Petrol, 20% Cheaper than E20

Hardeep Singh Puri, the Petroleum Minister, on Friday unveiled E85, a petrol variant blended with 85% ethanol, at an Indian Oil petrol station in Delhi. This cleaner fuel will cost 20% less than the E20 variant, approximately ₹20 cheaper per litre, ensuring consumers are compensated for any calorific loss.

The ministry plans to expand E85 availability to 5,000 retail pumps by December 2027, raising India’s ethanol blending level to nearly 26% by 2030-31. The launch coincides with the introduction of India’s first mass-market flex-fuel car, the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R Flex Fuel, designed to run on ethanol-petrol blends from E20 to E85.

Puri highlighted E85’s environmental benefits, noting it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 61% compared to conventional petrol vehicles. He emphasised its high Research Octane Number (RON) above 108, which allows engines to operate efficiently, optimising ignition timing and delivering improved performance, efficiency, and power.

Initially, 50–100 E85 stations will operate nationwide, increasing to 500 by the end of 2026 and 5,000 by 2027. The fuel is exclusively for specially designed flex-fuel vehicles, with a phased transition guided by rigorous testing from automobile manufacturers.

While supporting electric vehicles, Puri noted that E85 relies on domestic resources, making it a cleaner, locally sourced alternative. The ministry confirmed that flex-fuel vehicles can operate on ethanol blends from E20 to E100, and since the adoption of E20, no engine failures or insurance issues have been reported.