West Asia conflict did ‘half the job’ in fuel shift push, says transport minister Gadkari

NEW DELHI: The West Asia conflict has done “half the job” in convincing policymakers and people about moving towards alternatives to petrol and diesel, road transport minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday, as the crisis stifles flow of energy — crude and gas — from the region.

He urged the automobile industry to go for 100% ethanol (E100) or Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFVs), adding that he no longer needs to persuade people to cut dependence on conventional fuels. “Earlier, I had to convince policymakers by offering them rides in vehicles running on alternative fuels to reduce dependence on petrol and diesel. Now, I don’t need to do that. The war has done half the job, and the rest is being driven by consumers experiencing the benefits of alternative fuels,” he said while addressing the Indian Federation of Green Energy’s Green Transport Conclave.

He said India should aim for E100 vehicles in the near future, as vulnerabilities in the energy supply chain amid the crisis underscore the need for self-reliance in the energy sector.

The road transport ministry is set to issue a fresh notification outlining test requirements for vehicles capable of running on E85 to E100 fuels, a move expected to encourage automakers to scale up FFV production. In Dec 2022, the ministry had notified the applicability of test requirements for vehicles running on E5 to E85 fuels. A draft notification issued in June 2025 proposed replacing the E85 condition with “E85 or more”, but it was not finalised.

With renewed focus due to the West Asia crisis, a revised draft notification is expected soon. Engines designed for E100 can also operate on lower ethanol blends, from E20 upwards. Though most vehicle manufacturers have developed FFV prototypes, commercial production has yet to begin.

In the meantime, the petroleum and natural gas ministry has held two rounds of meetings with vehicle manufacturers on FFVs. Automakers have emphasised the need to address consumer concerns, particularly around lowering fuel costs, as 100% ethanol-powered vehicles tend to deliver around 27-30% less mileage than petrol.

Speaking at the event, Gadkari also stressed on bringing down the cost of green hydrogen and the cost of hydrogen dispensing stations to make it financially viable. “Transport of hydrogen fuel is a problem. Also, we need to produce 1 kg of hydrogen at $1 dollar, to make India an exporter of energy,” he said.