Hero MotoCorp launches flex-fuel Splendor Plus, HF Deluxe
If E85 fuel becomes available, the entire portfolio of Hero MotoCorp can be made compatible with flex-fuel, says Hero MotoCorp CEO Harshavardhan Chitale.
- Jun 3, 2026,
- Updated Jun 3, 2026 8:09 PM IST
Hero MotoCorp, the country’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, on Wednesday launched two flex-fuel motorcycles: Hero Splendor Plus Flex-Fuel priced at Rs 82,710 (ex-showroom Delhi) and Hero HF Deluxe Flex-Fuel priced at Rs 72,792.
Compatible with ethanol blends ranging from E20 to E85, the flex-fuel motorcycles will be introduced in Delhi and select regions of Maharashtra in July 2026, followed by nationwide rollout soon thereafter.
“One out of three motorcycles sold in the country come from Hero MotoCorp and if E85 fuel becomes available soon then we can make our entire portfolio compatible with flex-fuel,” said Harshavardhan Chitale, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Hero MotoCorp.
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Nitin Gadkari, who took the covers off the flex-fuel motorcycles, said Hero MotoCorp’s introduction of flex-fuel motorcycles in the mass segment is a significant step towards reducing crude oil imports, supporting ethanol adoption, empowering farmers, and strengthening the vision of a self-reliant India.
Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) Hardeep Singh Puri said India is steadily building a future-ready mobility ecosystem powered by cleaner and domestically produced fuels.
“With nearly 29% market share, one in three two-wheelers sold in India is a Hero vehicle. When Hero adopts flex-fuel technology, it has the potential to transform mobility at an unprecedented scale. The launch of Splendor Plus and HF Deluxe flex-fuel motorcycles marks India’s entry into mass-market flex-fuel mobility,” he added.
“We support the government’s call to rapidly accelerate the introduction of flex fuel vehicles,” Chitale told Business Today. “After the West Asia crisis, there is an impetus by the government to oil marketing companies to make flex-fuel available at petrol pumps. “It’s a fairly advanced stage that the industry is in,” he said.
Raising the biofuel content in the energy mix is a sure shot way to make India Atmanirbhar, Chitale said. “For India’s energy resilience and move towards clean mobility, we need to look at multiple sources, electric vehicles alone may not solve it because they have their own limitations in terms of supply chain resilience and dependence on one country,” he explained.
The CEO of India’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer said the country’s ability to ramp up flex fuel vehicles is far higher than its ability to penetrate with electric mobility. “For EVs, we need to solve many other ecosystem challenges whereas with ethanol, the industry can move very rapidly to flex fuel vehicles. That is very green from cradle to grave point of view. And from an energy independence point of view, totally Atmanirbhar,” he said.
Hero MotoCorp, the country’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, on Wednesday launched two flex-fuel motorcycles: Hero Splendor Plus Flex-Fuel priced at Rs 82,710 (ex-showroom Delhi) and Hero HF Deluxe Flex-Fuel priced at Rs 72,792.
Compatible with ethanol blends ranging from E20 to E85, the flex-fuel motorcycles will be introduced in Delhi and select regions of Maharashtra in July 2026, followed by nationwide rollout soon thereafter.
“One out of three motorcycles sold in the country come from Hero MotoCorp and if E85 fuel becomes available soon then we can make our entire portfolio compatible with flex-fuel,” said Harshavardhan Chitale, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Hero MotoCorp.
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Nitin Gadkari, who took the covers off the flex-fuel motorcycles, said Hero MotoCorp’s introduction of flex-fuel motorcycles in the mass segment is a significant step towards reducing crude oil imports, supporting ethanol adoption, empowering farmers, and strengthening the vision of a self-reliant India.
Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) Hardeep Singh Puri said India is steadily building a future-ready mobility ecosystem powered by cleaner and domestically produced fuels.
“With nearly 29% market share, one in three two-wheelers sold in India is a Hero vehicle. When Hero adopts flex-fuel technology, it has the potential to transform mobility at an unprecedented scale. The launch of Splendor Plus and HF Deluxe flex-fuel motorcycles marks India’s entry into mass-market flex-fuel mobility,” he added.
“We support the government’s call to rapidly accelerate the introduction of flex fuel vehicles,” Chitale told Business Today. “After the West Asia crisis, there is an impetus by the government to oil marketing companies to make flex-fuel available at petrol pumps. “It’s a fairly advanced stage that the industry is in,” he said.
Raising the biofuel content in the energy mix is a sure shot way to make India Atmanirbhar, Chitale said. “For India’s energy resilience and move towards clean mobility, we need to look at multiple sources, electric vehicles alone may not solve it because they have their own limitations in terms of supply chain resilience and dependence on one country,” he explained.
The CEO of India’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer said the country’s ability to ramp up flex fuel vehicles is far higher than its ability to penetrate with electric mobility. “For EVs, we need to solve many other ecosystem challenges whereas with ethanol, the industry can move very rapidly to flex fuel vehicles. That is very green from cradle to grave point of view. And from an energy independence point of view, totally Atmanirbhar,” he said.