India’s first ‘flex fuel’ car, Toyota sedan

Tags: National National News

India's first 'flex fuel' car, the Toyota sedan is all set to be unveiled later this month. India will join the club of countries (Germany, France and Brazil) that are already using flex-fuel engines for their cars.

What is a Flex Fuel Vehicle?

• Currently, flex-fuel is being seen as an alternative to petrol-diesel.

• It is an internal combustion fuel prepared by combining gasoline and methanol or ethanol.

• Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) are capable of running on 100% petrol or 100% bio-ethanol or a combination of both.

• Both fuels are stored in the same common tank.

• The most prominent commercially available FFV in the world market is the ethanol flexible-fuel vehicle.

Benefits of Flex Fuel 

• Made using ethanol blending, this fuel rapidly reduces harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide, sulphur and carbon and nitrogen oxides.

• India is dependent on imports for 80 percent of petrol and diesel. With the introduction of flex fuel, dependence on other countries will end.

• Ethanol production can also increase in our country because we have better production rates of sugarcane and maize. These are the major sources of ethanol production.

• This will also benefit the farmers financially.

• Its cost will also be less because it will cost less to prepare it.