Overview
- India’s road transport ministry issued draft changes to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules and invited public comments for 30 days before final decisions.
- The draft would add high‑ethanol fuels E85 and E100 to type‑approval standards, expand biodiesel references to B100, update hydrogen to “Hydrogen+CNG,” and raise a key vehicle weight limit to 3,500 kg.
- E20 petrol is already the national standard and most cars made after April 2023 are built for it, but running E85 or E100 would require flex‑fuel designs that current mainstream models do not have.
- The move does not launch sales of E85 or E100 now and instead enables testing and certification while automakers assess material upgrades, and fuel stations plan separate storage tanks and dispensers.
- Ethanol capacity is sizable yet under‑used, and officials pitch higher blends as an energy‑security step, though experts note likely mileage drops on high‑ethanol fuels and the need to balance farm, water and infrastructure demands.