Maruti Suzuki recently unveiled the WagonR flex fuel prototype at the SIAM Ethanol Technology Exhibition in New Delhi. The event took place in the presence of Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways – Nitin Gadkari. The Maruti WagonR flex fuel prototype has been designed and developed in-house with support from Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan. It runs on a mixture of ethanol and petrol between 20 percent (E20) and 85 percent (E85) that’s claimed to reduce tailpipe emissions by 79 percent compared to the regular petrol model.
The prototype comes with the 1.2L naturally aspirated petrol engine with a 5-speed manual gearbox. It makes a top power of 88.5bhp at 6,000rpm and 113Nm of torque at 4,400rpm. The motor has been developed to run with a flex fuel ranging from E20 to E85. The carmaker has upgraded its engine design to use higher ethanol-blended petrol and new fuel system technologies such as ethanol sensor for detecting its percentage and heated fuel rail for cold start assist.
Furthermore, the WagonR flex fuel prototype has updated engine management system, fuel injection technology and new fuel pump. The model also meets the upcoming and stricter BS6 Phase II emission standards. Talking about the Maruti WagonR flex fuel prototype, Hisashi Takeuchi, managing director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited claims, “the ethanol fuel-based Wagon R Flex Fuel prototype operating on E85 fuel will help reduce tailpipe emissions by 79 percent in comparison to a conventional gasoline Wagon R, while ensuring the same power and performance.”
The Maruti WagonR flex fuel will be the first mass-market flex fuel car in the country. The carmaker has confirmed that its final production version will go on sale by 2025. It also revealed that all Maruti Suzuki cars will be E20 compliant by March 2023.
The company’s official statement reads “Maruti Suzuki has consistently aligned itself to the national objectives of reducing the country’s oil import burden and improving the environment. Designed and developed locally in India with support from SMC, Japan, the Wagon R Flex Fuel prototype vehicle emboldens Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ efforts.”
