This week, India’s largest two-wheeler and four-wheeler companies entered the flex-fuel vehicle (FFV) segment—Hero MotoCorp launched its first mass-market flex-fuel motorcycles (HF Deluxe Flex Fuel priced at Rs 72,792, ex-showroom, and Splendor+ Flex Fuel for Rs 82,710) on Wednesday, followed by Maruti Suzuki’s unveiling of its mass-market flex-fuel car on Thursday (Wagon R FFV).
But what is this new fuel system, and does buying an FFV make financial and practical sense right now?
What’s an FFV? Can it change your daily drive?
An FFV can run on regular petrol, pure ethanol, or a blend of the two in the same fuel tank. It is unlike a bi-fuel CNG-petrol car, which has separate tanks for CNG and petrol. An FFV has sensors that can detect the exact fuel composition and adjust engine calibrations instantly.
Do FFVs look different compared to their petrol counterparts?
The core design is the same – in at least the three FFVs we have seen this week – but there are cosmetic tweaks.
The Wagon R, for example, retains its signature tall-boy silhouette, interior layout, and features list, but has prominent ‘Flex Fuel’ decals on the sides and a ‘BioFlex’ badge on the tailgate.
The HF Deluxe and Splendor+ have a distinct, all-black paint scheme paired with a new lime yellow, white, and blue graphics.
Are these vehicles more expensive to buy?
Yes. Because ethanol requires highly durable components to handle its chemical properties, manufacturing costs are higher. While Maruti Suzuki has not yet announced the pricing for the Wagon R FFV, the FFV variants of the Splendor+ (Rs 82,710) and HF Deluxe (Rs 72,792) carry a premium of 6% over their petrol equivalents. You will need to calculate whether your pump savings will offset the buying cost (sources told this newspaper that E85/E100 will be priced 15-20% less than regular petrol, but then it will also have lower fuel efficiency than petrol).
Will it cost more to service an FFV?
Maruti Suzuki officials said that, in the long run, expect routine servicing to require a bit more attention. While ethanol burns cleaner, it is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air), and moisture can damage some engine parts – although automakers have upgraded engine parts to minimise such impact. Just like any vehicle, timely visits to the service station will ensure your FFV will have a long life.
Can ethanol damage modern fuel systems? Will the new Wagon R FFV match the reliability of its petrol counterpart?
Prof Ujjwal K Saha, professor of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Guwahati, said that the hardware of an FFV is designed in such a way that it can handle the corrosive nature of ethanol. “The use of ethanol also helps reduce emissions, making it a cleaner fuel alternative. But because ethanol has a lower energy content than petrol, its fuel efficiency can be lower,” he said. “As far as reliability is concerned, a Wagon R FFV or a Splendor FFV can be as reliable as the regular Wagon R and Splendor if it’s manufactured as per appropriate standards, and serviced regularly.”
What will the resale value be like?
It is too early to determine – because FFVs are new, there is no historical data to predict residual value after 3-5 years. Resale value will depend on how well this first generation of modified engines holds up over the years, under real-world conditions, and how widely the public accepts ethanol.
Is the fuel actually available right now?
It’s still in the rollout phase, but by the time the first bikes come into the market (Hero said it will be July), expect some availability in around 50 retail outlets across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur. The good news is that you will never be stranded – if you cannot find an ethanol pump, your FFV will run just as fine on regular petrol.
