NEW DELHI: Around 500 ethanol dispensing stations (E100) will be established across India by December, with a target of 5,000 such stations by 2027, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced on Thursday. This initiative is designed to accelerate the adoption of flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) that can run on high-ethanol blends.
Launch of India's First Flex-Fuel Car
Puri made the announcement at the launch of India's first flex-fuel car, the Maruti Suzuki WagonR, which can operate on ethanol-blended fuel beyond the current 20% threshold. This marks a significant push to increase ethanol availability at pumps and reduce reliance on imported fuel.
Rollout Plan and Supportive Measures
The rollout will begin with 50-100 stations in Delhi-NCR, Pune, Mumbai, and Nagpur. Puri noted that earlier attempts to set up E100 stations faced challenges due to the lack of compatible vehicles. The government is now working on several supportive measures, including pricing support, road tax concessions, availability of E85 testing fuel, special identifiers for FFVs and retail outlets, consumer awareness campaigns, and the development of storage and dispensing infrastructure.
Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari was also present at the event, underscoring the collaborative effort between ministries to promote cleaner fuels.
