India targets 5,000 E85 fuel stations by 2027, says Hardeep Singh Puri

Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. File Pic

India will begin rolling out up to 100 E85 fuel dispensing stations across key urban corridors, including the National Capital Region (NCR), Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur, as part of a phased expansion plan to promote flex-fuel adoption in the country, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday.

Speaking at the launch of the Maruti Suzuki WagonR Flex Fuel, Puri said that E85, a fuel blend containing up to 85 per cent ethanol, has been identified as the mono-fuel standard for flex-fuel vehicles under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications, IANS reported.

E85 positioned as a cleaner alternative

Puri said E85 is being positioned as one of the cleanest fuel options available, with the government promoting it as part of India's broader transition towards alternative and cleaner energy sources.

"The rollout of flex-fuel infrastructure will be expanded in phases, with the number of E85 dispensing stations set to increase to 500 by December 2026 and further scale up to 5,000 outlets across major cities by the end of 2027," he said, reported IANS.

Flex-fuel adoption expands beyond two-wheelers

Highlighting the shift in India's mobility landscape, Puri said the adoption of flex-fuel technology has now moved beyond two-wheelers to four-wheelers, marking a significant expansion of the ecosystem.

He added that if 50 per cent of new two-wheeler and four-wheeler sales transition to flex-fuel vehicles, it could generate an additional ethanol demand of 311.8 crore litres, create nearly Rs 12,403 crore in additional income for farmers, and reduce carbon emissions by around 66.4 lakh metric tonnes.

"This not only helps lower our energy import bill but also empowers our farmers with an additional and sustainable source of income, transforming them from the nation's Annadatas into Urjadatas as well," Puri said.

Gadkari expects more automakers to join segment

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, who was also present at the event, said he expects more automobile manufacturers to enter the flex-fuel segment as India accelerates its transition towards cleaner mobility solutions.

The push for E85 fuel comes amid elevated global crude oil prices driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions, which have impacted oil marketing companies and contributed to fuel price pressures across the country.

Puri noted that India has experienced relatively lower fuel price increases compared to Japan, even as the domestic fuel market continues to absorb global shocks.

(With IANS inputs)