CONSUMER
E85 fuel is here. And it's cheaper. But can you use it?
India launched E85 fuel (85% ethanol and 15% petro) at ₹82.12/litre, ₹20 lower than regular petrol.
E85 fuel works only in Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) and is highly corrosive to vehicles built for E5-E10 fuel.
Flex-Fuel vehicles have engines that can handle petrol blended with any amount of ethanol. Maruti Suzuki last week launched the 'flex-fuel Wagon R', calling it India's first flex-fuel passenger car.
What does it mean for you?
- •PROS: 1. Eco-friendly: Cars running on E85 cut lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 61% compared to petrol vehicles, the government says. 2. Price Drop: It saves you roughly ₹20/ litre at the petrol pump. 3. Economic Win: It can lead to annual foreign exchange savings of nearly ₹15,151 crore by helping cut oil imports, as per the government.
- •BUT 1. Market Gap: Current options are limited as many existing vehicles are built only for E5-E20 blend (up to 20% ethanol). 2. The Hidden Math: Ethanol has a lower density than petrol. Just a 20% ethanol blend is leading to a drop in mileage, a recent survey had shown.
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