New Delhi [India], June 3 (ANI): In a major leap for India's green economy, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday launched Hero MotoCorp's first-ever flex-fuel motorcycle models.

The indigenous, ethanol-powered two-wheelers are primed to slash the country's massive crude oil import bill, clean up urban air quality, and channel fuel expenditures back into the rural agrarian economy.

Developed entirely at Hero MotoCorp's Centre for Innovation & Technology (CIT) in Jaipur, the flex-fuel iterations of the iconic Splendor+ and HF Deluxe motorcycles are capable of running seamlessly on both conventional petrol and ethanol blends.

During the launch, Gadkari dropped another major automotive headline, revealing that the flex-fuel revolution is moving rapidly into the passenger car segment. Sources confirmed that Maruti Suzuki is scheduled to launch India's first flex-fuel engine four-wheeler as early as Thursday.

Addressing the launch event, Minister Gadkari underscored the stark reality that India currently imports a staggering 87 per cent of its fossil fuel requirements.

'The Petroleum Minister has also said that 87 per cent of fossil fuel is imported. Our policy is import-substitute, cost-effective, pollution-free, and indigenous,' Gadkari asserted. 'The biggest thing is that pollution will be less because this is a green fuel. The money that goes abroad for fuel imports will remain in the country and benefit farmers, rural youth, labourers, tribal communities, and the agriculture sector.'

Dismissing lingering public scepticism regarding the performance metrics of alternative biofuels, Gadkari defended the technology's engineering standards.

The minister noted that the motorcycles can run on both petrol and ethanol, providing consumers with greater fuel flexibility. He also dismissed concerns that ethanol is an inferior fuel, saying its performance characteristics are comparable to conventional fuels.

The minister cited technical presentations confirming that the power and torque outputs of vehicles running on ethanol are entirely comparable to petrol. 'Sometimes people talk about ethanol as an inferior fuel, but it is not,' he stated.

India is aggressively scaling up ethanol production beyond traditional sugarcane, utilising maize, broken rice, and agricultural residues like rice straw.

Highlighting the broader benefits of biofuels, Gadkari said India is expanding ethanol production beyond sugarcane-based feedstocks. Ethanol is now being produced from maize, broken rice and agricultural residues, helping create additional income streams for farmers while supporting the country's energy goals.

He also pointed to developments in sustainable aviation fuel and other biofuel technologies. Referring to a project at Panipat, Gadkari said agricultural residues such as rice straw are being used to produce ethanol and sustainable aviation fuel, demonstrating the potential of waste-to-wealth initiatives.

The minister said the government is pursuing multiple alternative fuel pathways, including ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, liquefied natural gas (LNG), electric mobility and hydrogen, to reduce crude oil imports and improve energy security.

He also stressed that wider adoption of biofuels would strengthen the green economy and bio-economy while supporting rural development.

'Green economy, bio-economy and biofuel are our future. Ethanol is a better fuel, not an inferior fuel. The consumer will benefit from it, farmers will benefit from it, and it will help strengthen the country's economy,' Gadkari said.

Gadkari highlighted an active waste-to-wealth initiative in Panipat where stubble is being successfully converted into both commercial ethanol and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

The government is backing multiple alternative energy pathways to completely insulate the domestic market from volatile global oil supply chains.

Speaking to ANI, Harshavardhan Chitale, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hero MotoCorp, said that the entry of Hero MotoCorp, India's largest two-wheeler manufacturer, into the flex-fuel arena marks a massive scaling milestone for the country's bio-economy. 'It is developed at our Centre for Innovation & Technology (CIT) in Jaipur, and these motorcycles underscore the company's commitment to delivering future-ready and locally relevant technologies,' he said.

Chitale stated that these models heavily reinforce the central government's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat. Chitale also assured consumers that with consistent government policy backing, the company will make all necessary efforts to keep the retail pricing of these green variants highly affordable for the masses.

'With minimal-to-no import content, our motorcycles strongly reflect India's disruptive capabilities in manufacturing, while reinforcing the Government of India's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Viksit Bharat and long-term energy security,' he added.

There will be more variants of the two-wheelers in the flex fuel engine category in the coming future. Wth the government policies and support, all efforts will be made to keep the prices affordable for the buyers, he added. (ANI)