Maruti Suzuki WagonR Flex Fuel Deliveries Begin In Delhi, Boosting Nitin Gadkari's Ethanol Push

Maruti Suzuki India Limited has initiated the deliveries of India's first flex fuel passenger car, the Maruti Suzuki WagonR flex fuel. The handover began with the Indian Sugar and Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) taking the first batch of the car in New Delhi. The rollout was executed at a corporate dealership in the national capital.

The flex-fuel Wagon R is built on the standard model's platform but has been adapted to run on a wide range of ethanol-petrol blends, from E20 all the way up to E100. This setup is designed to test how well India's current biofuel infrastructure can support such vehicles, while also showcasing the practicality of multi-blend engines for commercial use.

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Based on the top-spec ZXi+ variant, the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R flex-fuel is priced at Rs 7.24 lakh (ex-showroom). It uses a 1.2-litre petrol engine that delivers 90 bhp and 113.7 Nm of torque, paired with a five-speed manual gearbox. There's no automatic option for now. Compared to the regular petrol ZXi+, the flex-fuel version costs an additional Rs 85,000.

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The launch and beginning of deliveries of the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R flex fuel align with the government's and Minister of Road Transport and Highway, Nitin Gadkari's vision of transitioning to cleaner fossil fuel alternatives. Recently, the Indian government began the rollout of E85 fuel dispensing stations in partnership with Indian Oil.

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In Delhi, E85 is priced at Rs 82.12 per litre, making it around Rs 20 cheaper than the currently available E20 petrol. To ensure clarity at fuel stations, E85 pumps will have clear branding and distinct labels so customers can easily tell the difference.

The rollout of E85 marks an important step in the government's push to increase ethanol usage, cut reliance on crude oil imports, and improve the country's energy security. The arrival of flex-fuel vehicles further supports this broader objective.