Maruti Suzuki has unveiled the WagonR Flex Fuel, becoming India’s first passenger vehicle designed to operate on a wide range of ethanol-petrol blends, from E20 to E85, as well as 100% ethanol. The launch represents a significant milestone in India’s push toward cleaner, alternative fuels and positions the WagonR Flex Fuel as the country’s first mass-market car engineered for pure ethanol compatibility.
The Unveiling event, India Goes Flex, was attended by Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari and Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri.
WagonR Flex Fuel: Ethanol Boost can Stabilise Fuel Prices
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri at the India Goes Flex event on Thursday said that the government aims to expand India’s flex-fuel network to nearly 5,000 fuel retail outlets by 2027, as part of efforts to promote ethanol-powered transportation and reduce the country’s reliance on imported crude oil.
Addressing the launch event of Maruti Suzuki WagonR Flex Fuel in New Delhi, Puri also noted that India has managed to keep petrol and diesel prices relatively stable despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and volatility in global energy markets, comparing the country’s fuel price performance favourably with that of many other nations.
Speaking at the same event, Nitin Gadkari highlighted the health risks posed by air pollution, noting that the transport sector contributes 40% of it. He said that “reducing pollution is a crucial goal” for his ministry and described the vehicle launch as a significant move towards cleaner mobility. Gadkari also stressed the importance of “Atmanirbhar Bharat”, advocating greater adoption of biofuels to reduce India’s heavy dependence on fossil fuel imports while supporting the continued growth of the country’s automobile industry, now the world’s third largest.
WagonR Flex Fuel: Specifications and Features
Engine and Performance
· Powertrain: Powered by a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine.
· Fuel Compatibility: Designed to operate on ethanol blends ranging from E20 to E100, including pure ethanol.
· Fuel Delivery System: Features an enhanced heated fuel injection setup to ensure reliable cold starts.
· Transmission: Paired with a 5-speed manual transmission, while AMT variants are expected to be introduced later.
Engineering and Structural Enhancements
Since ethanol is more corrosive and has a lower energy density than conventional petrol, Maruti Suzuki has upgraded several components to support E100 fuel:
· Fuel System: Equipped with corrosion-resistant fuel pumps, fuel lines, and injector nozzles.
· Engine Internals: Uses reinforced valves, strengthened valve seats, and specially designed piston rings for improved durability.
· Exhaust Setup: Comes with an upgraded catalytic converter tailored to ethanol combustion characteristics.
· Engine Management: An advanced ECM system automatically detects the ethanol blend percentage and adjusts engine parameters accordingly.
Key Features
· Infotainment: A 7-inch SmartPlay Studio touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity.
· Safety: Includes dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, and rear parking sensors as standard.
· Flex-Fuel Monitoring: The instrument cluster displays real-time information on the ethanol blend being used.
· Exterior Design: Retains the WagonR’s signature tall-boy styling, complemented by subtle Flex Fuel branding elements.
WagonR Flex Fuel: Ethanol Blend
The Maruti Suzuki WagonR Flex Fuel is India’s first mass-market flex-fuel passenger vehicle. It is engineered to seamlessly run on a massive ethanol blend spectrum ranging from E20 up to E100 (100% ethanol). While most of the cars in India can run on E20 Ethanol blend, the new WagonR can run on E85 as well as E100 blend.
WagonR Flex Fuel: Pricing
Official announcement of the pricing has not been made yet, but according to Cars24 and CarWale, the price of the WagonR Flex Fuel is expected to be around ₹8.50 lakh (ex-showroom) for the entry level variant, while the top variant is expected to scale up to ₹9.50 lakh (ex-showroom).
