India Introduces E85 Ethanol Fuel, Rs 20 Cheaper per Litre

The Indian government has launched the country's first E85 fuel dispenser at an Indian Oil outlet on Pusa Road in Delhi, pricing the fuel at Rs 82.12 per litre—about Rs 20 cheaper than standard petrol. Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurated the station and announced plans to install 50‑100 such dispensers in Delhi‑NCR, Pune, Mumbai and Nagpur, expanding to 500 by 2026.

E85 consists of 85 % ethanol and 15 % petrol and is compatible only with specialised flex‑fuel vehicles (FFVs); it must not be used in regular petrol or E20 cars. The rollout is intended to cut India’s crude‑oil imports, lower greenhouse‑gas emissions by roughly 61 %, and boost domestic ethanol demand, benefitting farmers. Existing E20 and conventional petrol will continue to be sold for other vehicles.