Govt officially notifies E100 fuel for flex-fuel vehicles to curb crude imports and emissions 

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways amended the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, officially introducing regulatory approval for E100 fuel in flex-fuel vehicles. 

The amendment, officially notified on October 23, 2026, incorporates E100 alongside E85 under emission standards, fuel specifications, and testing protocols outlined in Rule 115. The decision paves the legal path for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to launch vehicles engineered to run on 100% bio-ethanol fuel. 

The regulatory framework restricts the usage of E100 and E85 exclusively to vehicles specially designed and certified for high-ethanol operations. Conventional petrol vehicles and those calibrated for E20 blends will remain incompatible with E100 due to fuel density and material corrosion factors. 

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The official notification published by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (G.S.R. 911(E), File No. RT-11028/06/2025-MVL) on October 23, 2026, outlines several key amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989:  

• Gross weight limit increase: The gross vehicle weight limit in Table 2 under sub-rule (18)(i) has been raised from 3,000 kg to 3,500 kg.  
• Explicit explanatory mandate: An explanatory note has been added stating that E85 or E100 shall be used exclusively in vehicles designed by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) as flex-fuel vehicles.  

Specification and fuel updates 

Table headings and columns under rule 115 have been updated to replace or expand references to include (E10)/(E20) gasoline blends, alongside standardising (B100) biodiesel parameters.  

References to (E85) have been systematically modified to (E85) or (E100) across multiple sub-rules ((18), (19), (20), and (22)) to accommodate high-blend and 100% bio-ethanol testing protocols.  

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Under rule 115E, sub-rule (4), the specific documentation tag for E100 vehicles was formally updated from Annexure S to Annexure SA.  

The draft rules were initially opened for public comments and objections for 30 days following their publication on April 27, 2026, prior to final notification by Additional Secretary Mahmood Ahmed. 

The policy expansion aims to leverage India’s domestic ethanol production capacity while cutting down reliance on crude oil imports, which account for roughly 88% of national energy demands. Beyond reducing foreign exchange expenditures, high-ethanol adoption aligns with national decarbonization targets aimed at lowering tailpipe emissions. 

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Automakers preparing flex-fuel commercial and passenger rollouts are expected to deploy compatible models in the coming months following the updated testing and certification standards.

India has reached a landmark phase in its Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme, having officially achieved its 20% ethanol blending target (E20) nationwide ahead of the original 2030 timeline.

Total national ethanol production capacity stands at nearly 2,000 crore (20 billion) litres, with oil marketing companies (OMCs) issuing tenders exceeding 11 billion litres annually to maintain the base 20% mandate.