Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, unveiled the world’s first-ever ethanol-powered, hybrid car in line with the Ministry’s aim to boost clean energy usage. The event was also attended by Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Ethanol is a cost-effective plant-derived renewable fuel categorised as E100. It is produced from agricultural waste such as sugarcane, corn, maise, and barley. It releases significantly fewer tailpipe toxins into the ambient air. 

The prototype is an iteration of Toyota Motor’s multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), Innova Hycross. The model is equipped with a flex-fuel engine that runs on alternative fuel and can generate its electric power and operate in EV mode. This prototype is in compliance with the latest emission standards, Bharat Stage 6 (BS-VI) (Stage II).

Among the major changes between the flex-fuel iteration and the hybrid variant of the Innova HyCross is the new 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine generating 181 bhp, providing a fuel efficiency of 23.24 km per litre. This engine is paired with an e-CVT transmission. Currently, there is no confirmed release date for the production version of the electrified Innova HyCross flex-fuel.

Gadkari has been encouraging car manufacturers to design and develop vehicles that use a more environment-friendly alternative to traditional fuels like petrol and diesel, hence producing a smaller carbon footprint. These launches align with the government’s policy drive to decrease India’s dependency on imported petroleum and shift away from fossil fuels. 

In March last year, Toyota Motor introduced the Mirai EV, which runs on purely hydrogen-generated electricity, as part of its collaborative pilot program with the International Center for Automotive Technology (ICAT).