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Amid a global energy crisis, India’s government is moving quickly to test two new ethanol fuel blends — E85 and E100. Officials plan to issue a formal testing notification within one week. The move comes as Middle East tensions have pushed oil prices higher, putting pressure on India to reduce its dependence on imports.

E85 is a mix of 85% ethanol and 15% petrol. E100 is pure ethanol. Both fuels need special engines, called flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs), to run properly. Standard petrol engines can suffer corrosion, seal damage, and poor performance when used with high-ethanol blends. Most car manufacturers have reportedly built FFV prototypes, but none have started selling them commercially yet.

India’s government first mentioned E85 and E100 back in 2016. A Niti Aayog roadmap in 2021 brought up E85 again. A December 2022 notification covered testing rules from E5 to E85. A June 2025 draft proposed rules for “E85 or more,” but it wasn’t finalized. Now, a revised draft is expected soon.

Ministries and industry players have already reached a consensus on moving forward with E85 as a separate fuel grade. Draft rules are said to be ready for release. E20, a much lower ethanol blend, is already set to become mandatory across India by April 1, 2026. The E20 program has already saved roughly 4.5 crore barrels of crude oil each year and about Rs 1.65 lakh crore in foreign exchange.

India imports nearly 90% of its oil. Ethanol, on the other hand, is made domestically from sugarcane, maize, and other grains. A wider shift to high-ethanol fuels could support farmers while cutting pollution and import costs. Notably, Minister Nitin Gadkari has already showcased a flex-fuel car running on 100% ethanol, signaling strong political backing for the transition. An engine built for E85 can also safely run on lower blends such as E60, E50, or E20, offering drivers greater flexibility during the transition period.

But there’s a big challenge ahead. There’s no widespread infrastructure for E85 at fuel stations right now. Separate nozzles, storage tanks, and dispensing systems would all need to be installed. Oil companies would have to invest heavily in upgrades. Officials say the testing phase is meant to identify and fix these gaps. A broader rollout isn’t expected for at least a couple of years, though timelines remain tentative.

✅ Claims in this article were verified using AI-assisted fact-checking.

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