ISMA members take delivery of Maruti Suzuki's Flex-Fuel Wagon R
Business 16 Jun, 2026

ISMA members take delivery of Maruti Suzuki's Flex-Fuel Wagon R

Business To Business, New Delhi, 16th June, 2026:   Members of the Indian Sugar & Bio-energy Manufacturers Association on Tuesday took delivery of the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R Flex Fuel in New Delhi, becoming among the first retail customers for the model capable of operating on ethanol-petrol blends ranging from E20 to E100.
The vehicle has been introduced by Maruti Suzuki India as part of efforts to support cleaner fuels and the expansion of India's ethanol ecosystem.
Industry endorsement
Niraj Shirgaokar said the adoption of flex-fuel vehicles would contribute to:

  • Cleaner mobility solutions.
  • Reduced dependence on imported crude oil.
  • Greater use of domestically produced ethanol.
  • A sustainable demand cycle benefiting Indian farmers.
According to him, wider use of ethanol-based fuels can strengthen the linkage between agriculture, energy security, and transportation.
Confidence in the ethanol ecosystem
Deepak Ballani said the association's decision to purchase the vehicles was intended to send a positive signal to both automakers and consumers.
He stated that:
"The ethanol ecosystem is mature, reliable, and ready to power the future of Indian transport."
What is a flex-fuel vehicle?
A flex-fuel vehicle is designed to run on varying proportions of ethanol and petrol. The Wagon R Flex Fuel can operate on blends ranging from:
  • E20 (20% ethanol, 80% petrol)
  • Up to E100 (100% ethanol)
This gives users flexibility depending on fuel availability while supporting government efforts to increase ethanol blending in transportation fuels.
The move aligns with India's push to:
  • Increase ethanol production from agricultural feedstocks.
  • Lower fuel import bills.
  • Reduce carbon emissions from transportation.
  • Create additional revenue opportunities for farmers and sugar mills.
The delivery of the Wagon R Flex Fuel to ISMA members is being seen as an early step toward wider adoption of flex-fuel technology in the Indian passenger vehicle market.

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