Nitin Gadkari Wants Automakers To Build Cars Ready To Run 100% Ethanol (E100): Video Goes Viral

Discussions around the complete rollout of E20 petrol (petrol blended with 20% Ethanol) are heating up among vehicle owners in India. Many have voiced concerns about the use of blended fuel. Now, a video showing the Union Minister Nitin Gadkari asking automakers to build cars that run completely on Ethanol (E100) is going viral online. This video clip, however, isn’t recent. It seems to be from 2024, and can be considered India’s green signal to flex-fuel vehicles.

In the video, Gadkari says that he had a meeting with all automobile manufacturers. The minister discussed with them the scope and future of flex fuel cars in India. The video also shows him mentioning that he had recently visited Brazil and was amused to find a tractor made by the John Deere company that ran completely on bio-Ethanol.

The minister himself has been using flex-fuel cars in India for his daily commutes. He has a Toyota Hycross that runs completely on Ethanol. The Japanese carmaker had previously declared an investment of Rs 20,000 crores to build a flex car factory in Aurangabad.

The Union Minister further says that Ethanol is much cheaper than pure petrol, and is also pollution-free. If we lean towards Ethanol-powered mobility, the oil imports can be brought down. He has thus asked various automakers to build cars and motorcycles that can run completely on Ethanol. Maruti Suzuki and Tata are already known to be working on flex fuel models, while Bajaj, Hero, and TVS are in the works of flex-fuel motorcycles and scooters.

Though old, this video has stirred strong responses among the public. Many criticize the government for its aggressive push towards blended fuel and eventually to E100 mobility.

Flex-Fuel Vehicles: What Are They?

To begin with, flex fuel vehicles (FFVs) are designed to run on multiple fuels- a blend of petrol and ethanol or purely ethanol. They have advanced fuel systems and sensors that detect the fuel used and adjust the properties of the combustion accordingly. This makes seamless switching between the fuels possible. Most flex fuel vehicles use petrol and ethanol (often E85).

Pros And Cons Of Flex Fuel Vehicles

There are several advantages of using Flex fuel in vehicles. First and most important, flex fuel is cleaner and produces fewer toxic fumes compared to regular petrol. This is because Ethanol burns cleaner than petrol. FFV exhausts typically have fewer greenhouse gases.

Flex fuel powertrains can burn whatever proportion of fuel mixtures. The sensors and electronics determine the blend and tweak the nature of combustion accordingly. Some case studies also reveal that FFVs show improved performance when using E85 fuel. Finally, in many countries, FFVs qualify for attractive tax benefits. This helps in keeping their prices in check. In India, the Flex Fuel game is yet to start. Time remains before we get to see if the cost benefit will be available in India as well.

Now, coming to the disadvantages. First, since Ethanol is produced using sugarcane molasses and corn, a shift to FFVs will affect the prices and availability of these. The prices of animal and poultry feed are likely to go up. Environmental disasters like floods and droughts will also impact the production of Ethanol, eventually affecting FFVs.

The continuous use of Ethanol can potentially damage your car’s engine, especially if it isn't Ethanol-compatible. It absorbs dirt and moisture easily, and can eventually corrode your engine. Ethanol can also damage rubber components like fuel lines, causing them to become soft and wither away over time.

We have so far had mixed reports on the mileage delivered by FFVs. Many say that they deliver the same fuel efficiency as petrol cars. Others claim to get lower mileage than regular cars. Ethanol has a high octane value, but comes with less energy density. This means that more Ethanol will be needed to produce the same power output as what regular petrol would have made. Therefore, it makes sense to expect more consumption (less mileage) on pure Ethanol vehicles.

Another major challenge is the limited availability of E85 fuel. In India, E20 is being rolled out now. Time remains before E85 (or even E100) make debuts here. The limited supply of 85 percent ethanol can be a concern for flex fuel vehicles.

Bottomline

Debates around the advantages and disadvantages of Flex-fuel vehicles and ethanol-powered mobility are here to stay. It will be interesting to see how these evolve in the days ahead.