In the shift towards higher ethanol blends, E20 petrol is being pumped at every fuel station in India, and E85 has been introduced for flex-fuel vehicles. In addition, the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister, Nitin Gadkari, has recently signed regulations permitting the use of up to E100 fuel in vehicles in India. All the same, most cars produced before April 1, 2023, are not compliant with up to E10 petrol, and higher ethanol blending can be harmful for vehicles that are compliant with them. Reports suggest that many car owners in India are dealing with a lot of trouble due to E20 petrol, such as a drop in fuel efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To address such problems, the Indian Sugar & Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has said that ethanol conversion kits, which reconfigure vehicles to make them compliant with higher ethanol blends, should be pretty affordable for Indians. The director general of the Indian Sugar & Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA), Deepak Ballani, stated that locally manufactured ethanol conversion kits should cost no more than Rs. 15,000 to Indian consumers. Currently, an imported ethanol conversion kit costs Rs 40 – 60,000 on cross-border online retail marketplaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In collaboration with IIT Delhi, ISMA has tested the imported Finland-based ethanol conversion kits, which are priced from around Rs. 45,000. To conduct the tests, these kits were retrofitted to a BS4 Maruti Suzuki Swift (E10 fuel-compliant) and a BS6 Maruti Suzuki Dzire (E20 fuel-compliant). Both cars were driven over 10,000 km to assess their performance and durability across ethanol blends ranging from E15 to E100.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reportedly, the BS4 Maruti Swift ran 10,500 km. It was fuelled by various ethanol blends, including 1,000 km on E100 (100% ethanol). Whereas the BS6 Maruti Dzire covered 14,250 km, consisting of a 5,000 km run on E100.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Researchers evaluated both cars\u2019 acceleration, deceleration, starting behaviour, performance, emissions, fuel consumption, and engine health and found no abnormalities during tests, using the Finland-based eFlexFuel kits. These kits have an ethanol sensor that measures ethanol content and manipulates the fuel injection accordingly, making the vehicle adapt to varied ethanol blends without needing different ECU calibrations for each ethanol mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Post the tests, Deepak Ballani said, \u201cAfter extensive study, ISMA submitted a report and said that BS4 and BS6 vehicles could be converted to a flex-fuel vehicle with such a kit. It can use any fuel, E85 or E100, and is running fine without any damage to the vehicle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As India moves towards higher ethanol blends, ethanol conversion kits will be imperative for consumers as well as the industry. These kits will allow petrol vehicle owners to use higher ethanol blends without replacing their vehicles. All the same, while imported kits have been evaluated, the ISMA director general, Deepak Ballani, acknowledged that the technology is not yet ready for commercial use in India. Locally manufactured ethanol conversion kits, which are expected to cost no more than Rs. 15,000, will need to undergo testing and approval by regulators, automotive testing agencies, and vehicle manufacturers before they can be sold and used. For this, ISMA has written to the concerned authorities, asking for a framework for approval, testing and localisation of such kits in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An ethanol conversion kit is an aftermarket vehicle modification that allows a standard petrol-powered vehicle to run on higher ethanol blends, up to E85 and E100. Essentially, an ethanol conversion kit converts regular petrol-powered vehicles into flexible-fuel vehicles.<\/p>
An ethanol conversion kit does not harm a vehicle, provided it is certified and properly installed.<\/p>
No, the ethanol conversion kit does not increase the mileage of a car. Instead, the usage of higher ethanol blends is reported to drop fuel efficiency.<\/p>
As of now, ethanol conversion kits are available only on international platforms, and they cost from Rs. 40 to 60,000. Meanwhile, ISMA has stated that the locally manufactured ethanol conversion kit should not cost more than Rs. 15,000.<\/p>
No, ethanol conversion kits are not commercially available in India.<\/p><\/ul><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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