Today, India unveiled the world's first prototype of the BS 6 Stage II ‘Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle’, developed by Toyota Kirloskar Motor.
A Flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) have an internal combustion engine and are capable of operating on Petrol/Gasoline and any blend of petrol and ethanol (up to 83%). An Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle has both a Flexi Fuel engine and an electric powertrain. This gives it ability to provide dual benefit of higher ethanol use and much higher fuel efficiency as is in case of a Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle (SHEV), which can provide 30-50% higher Fuel Efficiency as it can run 40-60% in EV mode with engine shut off.
This initiative by Toyota is particularly important as it introduces the world’s first BS 6 (Stage II) Electrified Flex Fuel vehicle prototype, which has both the flex fuel engine as well as an electric powertrain, thereby offering higher use of ethanol combined with better fuel efficiencies.
— Toyota India (@Toyota_India) August 29, 2023
This innovative vehicle is based on the Innova Hycross and is engineered to adhere to India’s stricter emission standards, marking it as the first-ever BS 6 ( Stage II) Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle prototype globally. The forthcoming stages for this prototype encompasses meticulous refinement, homologation, and certification processes.
The Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Mr Hardeep Singh Puri, speaking at the unveiling of the Prototype said that India has huge Ethanol potential, much beyond E20 mix. This excess potential can be utilised by the country by promoting Flex Fuel vehicle (FFVs) and Flex Fuel Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle (FFV-SHEV) / Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle.
“With Industry and Government collaboration, we see India becoming a global hub for cleaner technologies and achieving self-reliance in energy soon”, Mr Puri added further.
The Minister informed that with the huge efforts made by the Government and the industry, in a short span of 8 years, the Ethanol blending in India has increased by over 8 times. It has increased from 1.53 % in 2014 to around 11.5 % (Mar ’23) leading to savings in the import bills and also lowering of carbon emissions.
𝐘𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲!
— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) August 29, 2023
Launched the 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝'𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐒 𝟔 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐈𝐈 ‘𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐱 𝐅𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐕𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞’,… pic.twitter.com/eRR1kM03Pb
Speaking on this launch, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Mr Nitin Gadkari, who launched the vehicle, said, "Ethanol being an indigenous, eco-friendly, and renewable fuel holds promising prospects for India."
Mr Gadkari said that the emphasis of the Modi Government on ethanol aligns with objectives of attaining energy self-sufficiency, doubling farmers' income, transitioning them to Urjadata while continuing to support them as Annadata, and positively impacting the environment. He said the day ethanol economy becomes of 2 lakh crores agricultural growth rate will reach 20% from the current 12%. Talking about innovations in biofuels Shri Gadkari spoke of refinery in Numaligarh in Asssam of Indian Oil Corporation where bamboo is being used for manufacturing bio ethanol.
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