The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has proposed amendments to vehicle emission rules to expand the use of higher ethanol blends and alternative fuels, paving the way for flex-fuel and near-pure biofuel vehicles across all vehicle segments.
The draft changes to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, aim to encourage broader adoption of cleaner fuels such as E85 (85 per cent ethanol blend), E100 (near-pure ethanol), B100 biodiesel, and hydrogen-compressed natural gas combinations.
India has already reached 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol, using bio-based sources such as sugarcane, corn and rice, helping reduce crude oil imports and lower carbon emissions.
In a gazette notification dated April 27, the ministry said the proposed amendments will be considered after a 30-day public consultation period, allowing stakeholders to submit objections or suggestions.
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Among key proposals, the draft increases the vehicle weight threshold from 3,000 kg to 3,500 kg, aligning Indian norms with global standards for light commercial vehicles. This would bring more vans, pickups and small trucks under unified emission testing regulations.
The rules also formally recognise higher biofuel blends, including E20, E85, E100 and B100, effectively enabling flex-fuel and pure biofuel-compatible vehicles across two-wheelers, three-wheelers, cars and heavy-duty segments.
Earlier, provisions largely covered only E10 and E20 blends. The updated framework broadens the regulatory scope for alternative fuel technologies across the automotive sector.
The notification further updates technical definitions, including replacing ‘Hydrogen+CN’ with ‘Hydrogen+CNG’ to reflect correct fuel classification standards.
It also revises emission measurement terminology, correcting the unit for pollutant intensity to ‘mg/kWh’ from ‘Mg/kWh’ to ensure accuracy in reporting.
Additionally, the World-Harmonised Not-To-Exceed (WNTE) emission limit has been corrected from ‘60’ to ‘600’. The WNTE framework sets real-world emission caps for heavy-duty engines across varied operating conditions, ensuring compliance beyond laboratory testing scenarios.
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