E85-Compliant Maruti Suzuki WagonR Flex Fuel Is Here

Note: Maruti is yet to reveal the exact specifications and launch timeline. However, we expect the car to be launched before Diwali or in early 2027.

Maruti Suzuki has officially unveiled the WagonR Flex Fuel in India, marking the company's first flex-fuel passenger vehicle for the domestic market. The model is capable of running on E85 fuel, a blend containing up to 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent petrol.

The WagonR Flex Fuel was unveiled at an event attended by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, and Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri. 

While Maruti Suzuki is yet to announce detailed technical specifications, the showcased vehicle looked largely identical to the standard WagonR, apart from special "Flex Fuel" badging on the doors.

Speaking at the event, Maruti Suzuki's Senior Executive Officer for Marketing and Sales, Partho Banerjee, stated that the company contributed nearly 50 percent of all green vehicle sales across the industry during the previous financial year. 

The automaker also highlighted the environmental benefits of flex-fuel technology, claiming that such vehicles produce near-zero particulate matter emissions and can help improve air quality over the long term.

Maruti Suzuki Managing Director and CEO  Hisashi Takeuchi reiterated the company's commitment to alternative fuels. He revealed that the manufacturer is investing in multiple Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) plants and is also exploring other cleaner mobility solutions, including hydrogen-powered technologies.

Addressing the gathering, Hardeep Singh Puri referenced the recent launch of the flex-fuel versions of the Hero Splendor Plus and HF Deluxe motorcycles. He also stated that India currently faces no fuel shortage and noted that domestic fuel price increases remain among the lowest when compared with many countries worldwide.

Puri further revealed that the government is advancing work on second-generation ethanol production using agricultural waste, with projects underway in Panipat and eastern India. In addition, a pilot project focused on third-generation ethanol derived from seaweed is currently in progress.

Nitin Gadkari described the Indian automobile sector as one of the country's primary growth drivers and reiterated that India now has the world's third-largest automobile industry. He added that flex-fuel vehicles will play an important role in reducing vehicular pollution and complement the government's enhanced vehicle scrappage programme aimed at phasing out older, more polluting vehicles.

The minister also announced that the government has allocated Rs 10,000 crore towards Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) development. According to Gadkari, SAF is expected to be sold at around Rs 115 per litre.