Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that India would be launching vehicles (mainly two-wheelers) running on ethanol only.
"In August, I will launch vehicles running 100 percent on ethanol. Bajaj, TVS and Hero have manufactured motorcycles running 100 percent on ethanol", Gadkari told ANI. "Like Toyota company's Camry car, which runs on 60 percent petrol and 40 percent electricity, through Toyota we will also be launching vehicles which run on 60 percent on ethanol and 40 percent on electricity".
The transport minister added that the initiative would be a revolution.
"This will be a revolutionary initiative because it will be import-substitute, cost-effective, pollution-free and indigenous. Farmers prepare this because now ethanol is made from sugarcane juice", the union minister said.
In India, ethanol is produced from sugarcane with molasses-based distilleries. In the last eight years, ethanol suppliers have earned INR 817 billion, while farmers have earned about INR 490 billion. This has also led to a reduction of 31.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
In February, India rolled out petrol blended with 20 per cent ethanol at select petrol pumps in 11 states and union territories as part of a programme to increase biofuel use to cut emissions and dependence on foreign imports.
Currently, 10 per cent ethanol is blended in petrol (10 per cent ethanol, 90 per cent petrol), and the government is looking to double this quantity by 2025.