Maruti Wagon R Flex Fuel Debuts As India’s First E85 Petrol Car

The momentum around flex-fuel mobility in India is gathering pace. A day after Hero MotoCorp launched E85-compatible versions of Splendor+ and HF Deluxe, Maruti Suzuki has showcased the Wagon R Flex Fuel, making it the first flex-fuel passenger car from an Indian manufacturer. The move aligns with the government’s ongoing efforts to promote ethanol-blended fuels as a means to reduce dependence on imported crude oil and support cleaner mobility solutions.

The Wagon R Flex Fuel is fully compliant with E85 fuel, which contains up to 85% ethanol blended with petrol. Ethanol is a renewable fuel produced from agricultural feedstocks such as sugarcane and maize, making it a key component of India’s long-term energy security and sustainability plans.

India’s First Flex Fuel Car

While several manufacturers have previously showcased flex fuel prototypes, Maruti Suzuki has now become the first passenger vehicle manufacturer in the country to formally introduce a flex fuel vehicle. The Wagon R Flex Fuel has been engineered to operate seamlessly on ethanol blends ranging from conventional petrol to E85.

To support higher ethanol concentrations, the vehicle features modifications to its engine management system, fuel delivery components and materials used in the fuel system. These changes ensure compatibility with ethanol’s different combustion characteristics while maintaining performance and reliability.

Supporting India’s Ethanol Mission

The introduction of the Wagon R Flex Fuel aligns with the government’s ambitious ethanol blending programme. India has already achieved significant progress in increasing ethanol content in petrol and is targeting even higher blending levels in the coming years.

Flex fuel vehicles provide consumers with the flexibility to use different ethanol-petrol blends depending on availability, while helping reduce the country’s crude oil import bill. The move has gained further importance amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainties and fluctuating global energy prices.

More Flex Fuel Vehicles Expected

The Wagon R Flex Fuel arrives at a time when the Indian automotive industry is witnessing growing interest in alternative fuel technologies. Earlier this week, Hero MotoCorp unveiled Flex Fuel versions of the Splendor+ and HF Deluxe motorcycles, capable of running on ethanol blends from E20 to E85.

Interestingly, this is not the first time Maruti Suzuki has taken an early exploratory step before a full-scale product rollout. The company began testing electric vehicle prototypes in India as far back as October 2018, but its first mass-market electric vehicle only reached showrooms in 2026. A similar long-term approach could be at play with flex-fuel technology as well. While the Wagon R Flex Fuel has now been showcased, it remains to be seen how quickly Maruti Suzuki expands the technology across its production lineup and whether customer demand and fuel infrastructure evolve rapidly enough to support wider adoption.