What if your car’s fuel bill felt like ₹25 petrol? The hybrid tech behind Gadkari’s 100% ethanol car pitch

Nitin Gadkari advocates for ethanol-powered cars, highlighting their comparable costs to petrol at ₹25 per litre. 

Gadkari has once again pushed the case for cars that can run entirely on ethanol, saying their running costs could be comparable to those of a petrol car, with fuel priced at around ₹25 a litre.

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said he has been invited to the launch of a Toyota Innova capable of running on 100% ethanol in October. The vehicle is based on Toyota's electrified flex-fuel technology, which combines an ethanol-compatible internal combustion engine with a strong-hybrid electric powertrain.

"Ethanol is being used in 19 countries in the world, and today, no complaint is coming from any vehicle in India. In October, I have been invited for the launch of Toyota's Innova car that will run on 100 per cent flex fuel," Gadkari said, as quoted by Business Today.

So, how can the economics resemble ₹25-a-litre petrol?

The answer lies in the combination of ethanol fuel and hybrid technology. Ethanol can be produced domestically from feedstocks such as sugarcane and maize, while the hybrid system can reduce fuel consumption by allowing the vehicle to operate partly on electric power.

Toyota’s earlier explanation provides context to Gadkari’s pitch. The automaker said its strong-hybrid system could operate with the petrol engine switched off for about 60% of the time and cover about 40% of the distance in electric mode under specific test conditions.

Toyota has not separately announced an October commercial launch on its website in India. However, it has been working on the technology for years now.

Ethanol can help raise farmers' income

Gadkari on Friday said the use of ethanol could help raise farmers' income and reduce India's dependence on petroleum imports, as he called for wider adoption of alternative fuels and cleaner public transport.

He was addressing a programme here after launching Madhya Pradesh's new public bus service with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.

"Today, the farmer is not only our 'anna data' (food provider) but also our 'urja data' (energy provider)," Gadkari said.

Ethanol production has already benefited farmers, the Road Transport and Highways Minister said, citing the increase in maize prices from around ₹1,200 per quintal to ₹2,600 per quintal after ethanol production began.

"This is the meaning of swadeshi, self-reliance and independence," he said.

The minister said flex-fuel engines, capable of running on 100 per cent ethanol, were being developed and vehicles using this technology would be introduced.

India imports petroleum worth around ₹22 lakh crore, he said, and stressed the need to reduce the country's dependence on imported fuel by using ethanol, electricity, hydrogen and other alternative energy sources.

About the Author

Sanchari Ghosh is an Assistant Editor at Mint with over 12 years of experience in journalism, specialising in personal finance, DLT & DeFi, geopolitics and foreign policy, with a particular emphasis on how these areas intersect. <br> She writes extensively about how money works in everyday life—helping readers navigate personal finance decisions. <br> As AI reshapes investing behaviour, capital is increasingly flowing into decentralized ecosystems, redefining how assets are managed, traded, and valued. She focuses on explaining how money flows within frameworks like Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), DeFi protocols, and crypto markets—while also exploring what the future of money could look like in a trustless, programmable financial world. <br> She also focuses on immigration-related issues, simplifying complex topics around visas, passports, overseas financial planning, and the many practical challenges Indians face while moving or living abroad. <br> Alongside personal finance, Sanchari has a strong understanding of international politics, contemporary and historical conflicts, and global state decisions. She closely tracks how geopolitical developments influence economies, markets, and individual financial choices, bringing together finance and global affairs in her reporting. <br> She began her career as a desk editor, which gave her a strong foundation in news writing. Over time, her interest naturally shifted toward personal finance. Before joining Mint in 2020, she worked DNA, The Times of India, Outlook Money, BloombergQuint, and ETMoney. At Mint, she got an opportunity to expand her coverage to include immigration and geopolitical developments while continuing to closely follow personal finance trends and market movements.As a journalist, she is committed to accuracy, intellectual rigour, and fairness. <br> She is an English Major and her work took her across cities including Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune. Living independently from an early age gave her firsthand experience in managing life and money on her own. This practical exposure sparked her strong interest in personal finance. <br> Outside the newsroom, Sanchari is a sports enthusiast who regularly plays lawn tennis and squash. In her younger years, she was also a national-level badminton player.

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