Maruti Suzuki has unveiled the prototype of the WagonR flex fuel which is E85 compatible at the ongoing Bharat Mobility Expo. For the uninitiated, E85 refers to the fact that the engine could run on upto 85% of Ethanol mix with petrol. Currently, many cars are E20 compatible. With E85, the government aims to reduce its dependence on crude oil imports. The engines need to be appropriately modified to run this ratio of fuel. Here are the details.
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Maruti WagonR Flex Fuel (E85)
This WagonR looks like a regular WagonR from the outside with minor aesthetic modifications to set it apart from the ICE and CNG versions. Having said that, this is just a prototype. Hence, we might see more prominent distinctions between the production-spec versions of various powertrains within the WagonR lineup. Remember, there were also reports of the electric version of the WagonR testing some time ago. Hence, Maruti Suzuki is using the power of the WagonR moniker to try out new technologies for future mobility. That is a great way to gauge the response of the general public while displaying its future plans.
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Specs
This WagonR comes with the regular 1.2-litre engine. But the catch is that it can use flex-fuel ranging from E20 to E85. The power output is 90 PS and the torque is 113 Nm. That is exactly what the Swift and Baleno hatchbacks make. The flexibility of operating this with upto E85 blend is what most people would like. At the moment, this is the highest percentage of Ethanol in any Maruti car in India. Since this is just in the prototype stage, we shall get to know more details with time.
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Author’s Note
The Ministry of Roads Highways and Transport (MoRTH) has been focusing on alternative fuels for a long time now. The entire world is shifting toward fuels from renewable sources of energy. In essence, the global automobile industry wants to minimize the use of coal and crude oil. That is where electric cars come into the picture. In fact, Maruti Suzuki has a substantial portfolio of CNG cars in India as well. With vehicles being E85 compatible, the dependence on petrol is slated to go down a lot. Let us see how things pan out in times to come.
