'Will sign a file in 2 days', Nitin Gadkari on less-polluting flex-fuel vehicles in India

Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said he would issue an order in the next two-three days to make it mandatory for the carmakers to introduce flex-fuel engines in vehicles. Addressing an event, Gadkari said, India imports petroleum products worth 8 lakh crore every year, and if the country continues to depend on fossil fuels, then its import bill will rise to Rs 25 lakh in the next five years.

"To reduce import of fossil fuels, I am going to sign a file in the next 2-3 days, in which carmakers will be asked to make flex-fuel engine vehicles (that can run on more than one fuel)," the road transport and highways minister said.

Flex-fuel, or flexible fuel, is an alternative fuel made of a combination of gasoline and methanol or ethanol. Gadkari said that top officials of Toyota Motor Corporation, Suzuki and Hyundai Motor India have assured him that they will introduce flex engines in their vehicles.

Noting that the country will become 'Atmanirbhar' (self-reliant) with the introduction of flex-fuel engines in vehicles, Gadkari said, "MD's of Toyota Motor Corporation, Suzuki and Hyundai Motor India have assured me that like Brazil, America and Canada, the vehicles in our country will run on 100 per cent bio-ethanol, which produced by our farmers, instead of 100 per cent petrol." Gadkari also noted that day is not far when vehicles will run on green hydrogen. 

With inputs from wires

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