Maruti Suzuki launches flex fuel Wagon R to cut India's oil imports and carbon emissions

Maruti Suzuki India has launched its first flex fuel vehicle, the Wagon R Flex Fuel, as part of a strategy to reduce the country's dependence on imported crude oil and lower carbon emissions. The company's managing director, Hisashi Takeuchi, said flex fuel can support both national objectives but requires a full ecosystem including fuel availability, more models, and customer awareness. Maruti is also investing in compressed biogas plants and researching hydrogen as part of a multi pathway approach to decarbonization. The announcement highlights a practical step in India's transition to cleaner transport fuels. Flex fuel vehicles can run on high blends of ethanol and petrol, which can be produced from domestic biomass. This directly ties to energy security and carbon accounting. The article notes that large scale adoption depends on coordination between automakers, fuel suppliers, and policymakers, making it a relevant case study for anyone tracking real world decarbonization in the transport sector.