Mumbai has joined Delhi in the list of cities offering E85 fuel. The high-ethanol blend fuel is now available in the city at a price of Rs 91.18 per litre, making it nearly Rs 9 costlier than Delhi, where E85 is currently sold at a lower rate. E85 is a fuel blend comprising 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol. It is aimed at flex-fuel vehicles that are specifically engineered to run on high ethanol blends. The fuel is also significantly cheaper than the E20 petrol currently sold across the country. In Mumbai, E20 petrol is priced at Rs 111.33 per litre, which means motorists using compatible vehicles can save more than Rs 20 per litre by opting for E85. The rollout of E85 is part of the government’s broader strategy to reduce crude oil imports, support domestic ethanol production and lower tailpipe emissions. Ethanol is primarily produced from agricultural feedstocks such as sugarcane and maize, making it a renewable alternative to conventional fossil fuels.However, the biggest challenge remains vehicle compatibility. At present, only a handful of models sold in India can run on E85. Maruti Suzuki recently launched the WagonR Bioflex, making it the country’s first flex-fuel passenger vehicle. Priced at Rs 7.24 lakh, ex-showroom, the hatchback is powered by a 1.2-litre four-cylinder K12N petrol engine that can operate on ethanol blends ranging from E20 all the way up to E100. In the two-wheeler segment, Hero MotoCorp has introduced the Splendor+ Flex Fuel and HF Deluxe Flex Fuel. Both motorcycles are capable of running on E85 fuel. Suzuki also sells a flex fuel-compatible version of the Gixxer SF 250 in India.
