Maruti Suzuki Launches India’s First Flex-Fuel Passenger Car, WagonR Flex-Fuel

New Delhi, June 2026 : In a significant milestone for India’s transition towards cleaner and alternative fuels, Maruti Suzuki India Limited on Thursday unveiled the country’s first flex-fuel passenger car, the Maruti Suzuki WagonR Flex-Fuel. The launch marks a major step in reducing dependence on conventional fossil fuels and promoting the use of biofuels amid global uncertainty in crude oil markets.

The newly introduced WagonR Flex-Fuel has been engineered to operate on ethanol-petrol blends ranging from E20 to E100, making it the first mass-market passenger vehicle in India capable of running on 100 per cent ethanol. The development aligns with the government’s broader strategy of increasing ethanol adoption in the transport sector and strengthening the country’s energy security.

The launch event was attended by Nitin Gadkari, who highlighted the importance of alternative fuels in reducing fuel imports and lowering vehicular emissions. He said the government remains committed to encouraging cleaner mobility solutions and expanding the range of sustainable fuel options available to consumers.

Gadkari also revealed that the government is exploring the introduction of diesel blended with 15 per cent isobutanol as part of its evolving alternative fuel roadmap. According to him, diversified fuel sources are essential to reducing India’s reliance on imported petroleum products while supporting environmental goals.

The Union Minister further urged leading automobile manufacturers, including Maruti Suzuki India Limited and Hero MotoCorp, to develop solutions that would enable older vehicles to be converted into flex-fuel-compatible models. He also called for such vehicles to be upgraded in line with stringent emission standards, including Euro 6 norms.

According to Gadkari, retrofitting older vehicles could significantly reduce pollution levels while complementing the government’s vehicle scrappage programme, which seeks to phase out ageing and highly polluting vehicles from Indian roads.

Speaking at the event, Gadkari noted that India’s automobile sector has emerged as one of the strongest contributors to economic growth. He said the country now has the world’s third-largest automobile industry, which plays a crucial role in generating employment, attracting investment and contributing to national GDP.

Maruti Suzuki’s Managing Director and CEO, Hisashi Takeuchi, said the company is pursuing a multi-technology approach to clean mobility. Along with flex-fuel vehicles, the company is investing in compressed biogas (CBG) projects and evaluating emerging technologies such as hydrogen-based mobility solutions.

Senior Executive Officer for Marketing and Sales, Partho Banerjee, outlined the company’s broader sustainability strategy. He stated that Maruti Suzuki accounted for nearly half of all green vehicle sales in the industry during the previous financial year, reflecting growing consumer acceptance of environmentally friendly mobility options.

The launch of the WagonR Flex-Fuel is expected to strengthen India’s ethanol ecosystem while supporting the government’s long-term vision of cleaner transportation, reduced carbon emissions and enhanced energy independence. As the country accelerates its shift towards sustainable mobility, the introduction of flex-fuel technology is being viewed as an important addition to India’s expanding portfolio of alternative-fuel vehicles.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)