World’s first BS 6 Stage II ‘Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle’ prototype unveiled

India is the fastest-growing large economy, and India’s fossil fuel consumption along with crude oil import is also rising rapidly.

Due to a large increase in domestic mobility needs, the transport sector, which currently accounts for about 50 percent of oil demand, will be the most significant contributor to this.

As per estimates, the transport sector energy consumption in India is expected to double to 200 million tonnes of oil equivalent toe) of energy in 2030. Increased fossil fuel consumption will lead to increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions thus a rapid shift away from fossil fuels is of the utmost urgency.

Allying with the Prime Minister’s vision to achieve the target of Net Zero by 2070, we are rapidly shifting towards sustainable mobility, India will require all green technologies, wherein biofuels will play a major role. Accordingly, the Ministry of Heavy Industries has been supporting the development and manufacturing of all clean vehicle technologies through various schemes such as PLI, FAME, etc. These schemes will help in attracting investments, localization of advanced technologies, employment generation, and promoting sustainable growth and development of the Indian auto industry, said Union Minister Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, Ministry of Heavy Industries.

Ethanol a triple-win domestic fuel

However, India is well endowed with renewable energy, surplus sugar, food grains, and biomass which offers huge possibilities for a transition to a cleaner energy future, which is also indigenous.

The abundantly available sugarcane, excess food grains, together with vast volumes of biomass waste can be used to produce ethanol that can substitute a significant amount of gasoline used by vehicles in the shortest possible time.

Ethanol being an indigenous, clean, and renewable fuel holds a promising future for India. The Government’s focus on ethanol is for achieving energy self-reliance, spurring the incomes of farmers, and having a better impact on the environment. The Government’s plan is not only to diversify agriculture surpluses towards the energy sector but also to generate wealth from waste using 2G technology for producing ethanol from bio-waste. A lot of emphasis is being laid on building and expanding the necessary infrastructure to produce ethanol in the whole country, said Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

In the recent past, the ethanol blend in domestic gasoline has increased – from 1.53 percent in 2013-14 to 11.5 percent in March 2023, which has helped dampen oil consumption and oil import bills.

With the impending implementation of E20 by April 2025, India is expected to further save on its oil import bill and reduce GHG emissions by an estimated 21 million tonnes.

We have advanced the target for E20 blending to 2025, five years ahead of the earlier planned schedule from the original plan of 2030 and I am very happy to note that with the strong efforts made by all the stakeholders, we will achieve this. Currently, E20 fuel is being dispensed at more than 3 300 fuel stations across the country and shall be available pan India by April 2025, said Union Minister Shri Hardeep S Puri, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

Post 2025, India is anticipated to have surplus ethanol well beyond the requirement for the E20 regime. To fully realize the available potential and to maximize the social benefits, Flex Fuel Vehicle technologies i.e., vehicles that can use higher blends of ethanol beyond 20 percent, will be required.

E20实现到2025年4月,预期的import bill savings may be around Rs. 35,000 crores annually, and oil import displacement will be 63 million barrels of gasoline (in EY 2024-25). This will further contribute to reducing GHG emissions by 21 million metric tonnes and PM 2.5 emissions by up to 14 percent than gasoline. We are confident that by such time, we will not only have E20 but beyond. We have supported the introduction of facilities with 2G technology, therefore the use of Parali, to generate Ethanol, which is otherwise burnt causing pollution. This initiative by Toyota today is particularly important as it introduces the world’s first BS 6 (Stage II) Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle prototype, which has both the flex fuel engine as well as an electric powertrain, thereby offering higher use of ethanol combined with better fuel efficiencies. With Industry and Government collaboration, we see India becoming a global hub for cleaner technologies and achieving self-reliance in energy soon, Union Minister Shri Hardeep S Puri said.

The best of both technology worlds

According to TKM, the challenge with Flex Fuel Vehicles is the lower fuel efficiency of ethanol due to its lower energy density.

To counter this challenge, Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicles are being introduced, as an advanced green technology that has both the flex-fuel internal combustion engine (ICE) as well as an electric powertrain.

Therefore, as in the case of a Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle (SHEV), which can run 40 percent of the distance and 60 percent of the time in electric mode (under specific test conditions) with the gasoline engine shut off, the use of the electric powertrain in combination with the flex-fuel engine overcomes this challenge with enhanced fuel efficiency.

As such, Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicles provide the twin benefit of higher fuel substitution (with ethanol) as well as good fuel efficiency, due to the high ratio of electric mode driving.

The Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle uses minimal advanced chemistry batteries (~ 1.3-1.5 kWhr vs. 40-60 kWhr for battery electric vehicles – BEV), thus guarding against the negative impact of high imports of cells and cell raw material, considering possible geo-political supply risks.

Today marks a significant step forward in our commitment to environmental stewardship with the unveiling of the prototype of the world’s first BS 6 (Stage II), Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle. At Toyota, we believe that ‘Carbon’ is the real enemy. This pioneering achievement underscores TKM’s steadfastness towards shaping a carbon-neutral mobility society in line with the Government of India’s initiatives by adopting multiple pathways, said Masakazu Yoshimura, Managing Director and CEO of Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

Stricter emission limits

While Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle technology was introduced in Brazil in 2019, the emission norms followed there are lower than BS 6.

We believe that the technology is only a means to the end. Toyota has access to all vehicle technologies. Having said that, each market has its uniqueness, and we continue to evaluate & introduce cleaner technologies that suit the local eco-system, considering the local energy mix, infrastructure readiness, and consumer acceptance so that the reduction in usage of fossil fuel & carbon emissions can be achieved at scale and faster pace. As responsible corporate citizens, we stand resolute in our efforts to contribute to a greener and more self-reliant future for India. Through newer innovations and advancements in technological offerings, we aim to pave the way for a sustainable energy landscape that aligns with our core principles of ‘Respect for the Planet’ and ‘Leave No One Behind’, said Masakazu Yoshimura.

The next steps for the Innova Hycross prototype include further finer calibration, homologation, and certification. This signifies a pivotal moment in the Indian auto industry’s journey towards a greener and more self-reliant future.

It is indeed commendable to see that Toyota is making strong efforts to transition to cleaner energy options and for environment conservation with its multiple advanced technological capabilities like hydrogen vehicles, electrified flex fuel vehicles, and more. Today, we unveiled the prototype of the World’s First BS 6 (Stage II), an Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle of Toyota, aligning with the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan’, ended Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari.