Maruti Suzuki India stated that it will adopt a patient approach to the flex-fuel vehicle business, focusing initially on supporting the development of an ethanol-fuel ecosystem rather than pursuing immediate sales volumes.

"We are in no hurry to see results," Maruti Suzuki Senior Executive Officer Corporate Affairs Rahul Bharti said during a media interaction. "What is more important is to take the first step and give confidence to the other stakeholders that they can also start investing and build the pillars of the ecosystem."

The company stated that manufacturers introducing the technology can encourage fuel retailers, policymakers and other stakeholders to develop the necessary supporting infrastructure.

"When the ecosystem comes together, the dots will be joined, and then it will become a very mainstream kind of option. Till such time, we are very patient, and we can wait," Bharti said.

Maruti Suzuki also described flex-fuel technology as part of India's broader efforts to achieve energy self-reliance.

"We believe this is a technology that will help India in a long way to become Atmanirbhar," the company said, adding that wider adoption of domestically produced ethanol could reduce dependence on imported crude oil while supporting local value creation.

Maruti Suzuki launched the WagonR Flex Fuel model in June 2026. The vehicle is capable of operating on ethanol-petrol blends ranging from E20 to E100 through modifications to its engine calibration and fuel system.

The company stated that it has opened bookings across the country and would not wait for a nationwide E85 retail network because the vehicle can also operate on conventional petrol and lower ethanol blends currently available in the market. Maruti Suzuki also stated that the model has been priced below the comparable CNG variant, although it did not disclose booking or sales figures during the interaction.

Fuel network to expand gradually

According to the company, the government is working to expand the E85 retail network from around 50 outlets in the coming months to approximately 500 by December 2026 and nearly 5,000 outlets by December 2027, creating the infrastructure required for the wider adoption of flex-fuel vehicles.

E85 contains approximately 80-85% ethanol, with the remainder comprising petrol. It is designed for vehicles equipped with fuel systems, engine components and software calibrated to handle high ethanol blends. Maruti Suzuki stated that the wider availability of fuel stations, competitive fuel pricing and support from various states will determine the pace at which flex-fuel vehicles move beyond a niche offering.

Part of a multi-technology strategy

Maruti Suzuki stated that flex-fuel technology forms one component of a clean-mobility strategy that also includes battery electric vehicles, strong hybrids, CNG and compressed biogas. The company stated that no single technology can address India's diverse mobility requirements and that different powertrains will coexist depending on customer needs, infrastructure availability and affordability.

According to Maruti Suzuki, greater use of domestically produced ethanol could contribute to lower crude oil imports, reduced emissions, higher farm incomes and increased domestic value addition, supporting India's objective of improving energy self-reliance.