NewzVille Desk
E85 is a high-ethanol blended fuel comprising 80–85 per cent ethanol and 14–19 per cent petrol, specifically designed for use in flex-fuel vehicles. The initiative of adopting E85 aims to facilitate the adoption of Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFVs), which are capable of operating on ethanol blends from E20 to E100, without restricting consumers to a single blend.
Flex-fuel vehicles operating on E85 can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by around 61 per cent compared to conventional petrol vehicles.
With a Research Octane Number (RON) of about 108, ethanol offers superior knock resistance that allows engines to operate at higher compression ratios and optimized ignition timing.
Higher ethanol blends promote cleaner and more complete combustion, resulting in near-zero particulate matter emissions contributing to improved urban air quality.
E85 is priced nearly ₹20 per litre lower than conventional petrol to ensure that the economic benefits of domestically produced ethanol are passed on to consumers.
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri launched E85 fuel at an IndianOil retail outlet in New Delhi yesterday on the occasion of World Environment Day 2026.
Senior officials of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and CMDs of public sector OMCs were also present during the event.
Elaborating about E85, Puri stated that if 50 per cent of new two-wheelers and four-wheelers transition to flex-fuel vehicles, it could generate demand for over 312 crore litres of ethanol and result in nearly ₹12,403 crore flowing directly to farmers. He added that such a transition could also lead to annual foreign exchange savings of nearly ₹15,151 crore and reduction of CO2 emissions by 66.4 lakh metric tonnes.
E85 fuel is meant exclusively for specially designed flex-fuel vehicles, not for normal petrol vehicles.
Since E20 became the standard fuel across the country, there has not been a single reported case of engine failure or vehicle breakdown attributable to ethanol blending.
E20-compatible vehicles deliver improved acceleration and better ride quality, particularly under city driving conditions.
Usage of E20 fuel has no impact on the validity of vehicle insurance in India.
