Maruti Suzuki India has commenced customer deliveries of the Wagon R Bio-Flex, marking the country's first flex-fuel passenger vehicle. The initial batch of these eco-friendly hatchbacks was handed over to the Indian Sugar and Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) in New Delhi. This model is capable of running on various ethanol-petrol blends, aligning with the government's initiative to promote ethanol-based fuels for reducing emissions and decreasing dependence on conventional fossil fuels. The launch underscores the increasing focus on alternative fuel technologies alongside electric vehicles.
Pricing and Availability
The Maruti Suzuki Wagon R Bio-Flex is priced at Rs 7.24 lakh (ex-showroom), which is Rs 86,000 more expensive than the standard Wagon R ZXi+ MT on which it is based. Currently, this flex-fuel hatchback is exclusively available for commercial buyers.
Engine and Performance
Under the hood, the Wagon R Bio-Flex is powered by a 1.2-litre K12N naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 91hp and 114Nm of torque, paired with a five-speed manual gearbox. These output figures are identical to the E20-compliant version. Maruti has confirmed that the Bio-Flex model incorporates both hardware and software modifications to support ethanol blends up to E85. These enhancements include updated fuel injectors, a new fuel pump, revised fuel lines, a recalibrated ECU, and an ethanol sensor.
Fuel Efficiency
The company has not disclosed the fuel efficiency figures for the Wagon R Bio-Flex. For comparison, the standard Wagon R equipped with the same engine delivers a claimed 23.56 kmpl with the manual transmission and 24.43 kmpl with the AMT.
Features and Equipment
In terms of features, the Wagon R Bio-Flex comes equipped with a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system that supports wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. Additional amenities include manual air conditioning, a semi-digital cluster, power windows on all doors, rear AC vents, fog lamps, rear parking sensors, a rear wiper and washer, six airbags, ABS, ESP, and more.
The introduction of the Wagon R Bio-Flex represents a significant step towards diversifying India's automotive fuel options and reducing the environmental impact of transportation.
