Shares of Maruti Suzuki India gained over 1.5 per cent in Thursday's trade after the automaker unveiled India's first flex-fuel passenger vehicle.


Maruti Suzuki was trading at Rs 13,250, up Rs 206 or 1.58 per cent, on the NSE at 12:11 pm.

The company launched the flex-fuel version of the Wagon R at an event in New Delhi ahead of World Environment Day.

The production-ready vehicle is capable of operating on petrol as well as ethanol blends of up to E100, offering consumers greater fuel flexibility while supporting the government's ethanol-blending programme.

The launch event was attended by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, both of whom have been vocal proponents of ethanol-based mobility solutions.

Managing Director and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi reiterated that the company remains committed to a multi-technology approach toward decarbonisation, with continued investments across electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid vehicles, CNG models and flex-fuel technologies.

The flex-fuel Wagon R is designed to run on a wide range of fuel blends, from conventional petrol to 100 per cent ethanol (E100), aligning with the government's efforts to reduce dependence on imported crude oil and promote cleaner alternative fuels. While ethanol is typically more affordable than petrol, vehicles operating on higher ethanol blends generally deliver lower fuel economy compared with their petrol-only counterparts.

The launch comes shortly after the Centre expanded the regulatory framework for ethanol-blended fuels. In May, the government formally notified specifications for higher ethanol-petrol blends, including E22, E25, E27 and E30, paving the way for the next stage of India's ethanol blending programme.

Under a notification issued on May 15, 2026, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) introduced standard IS 19850:2026, which lays down quality and performance specifications for fuel blends containing 22 per cent to 30 per cent anhydrous ethanol mixed with gasoline for use in spark-ignition engine vehicles.

The new standards are intended to support the wider adoption of ethanol-based fuels as India looks to move beyond its existing E20 blending target. The government has consistently highlighted the benefits of higher ethanol usage, including lower crude oil imports, increased support for the agricultural sector and a reduction in vehicle emissions.