Maruti Suzuki WagonR Flex Fuel Unveiled In India; Can Run On E20 To E85 Ethanol Blends | V3Cars

The unveiling comes shortly after the government announced plans to roll out E85 fuel across India, with a target of establishing around 5,000 E85 dispensing stations by the end of 2027.

What Is A Flex-Fuel Vehicle?

A flex-fuel vehicle (FFV) is capable of operating on petrol, ethanol or a combination of both. Unlike conventional petrol-powered vehicles, flex-fuel vehicles are equipped with specially engineered components that can withstand the corrosive properties of ethanol and automatically adapt to varying ethanol concentrations in the fuel.

The WagonR Flex Fuel can run on ethanol blends ranging from E20 to E85 without requiring any intervention from the driver.

What Changes Does The WagonR Flex Fuel Get?

While the exterior and interior of the WagonR Flex Fuel remain largely identical to the standard WagonR, Maruti Suzuki have made several mechanical and hardware changes to enable compatibility with higher ethanol blends. These include:

• Ethanol-compatible fuel system components
• Upgraded fuel injectors and fuel pump
• Ethanol content sensor
• Revised engine management system
• Strengthened engine internals
• Modifications to improve cold-start performance

The ethanol sensor continuously measures the ethanol content in the fuel and sends the information to the engine control unit (ECU), which automatically adjusts fuel injection and ignition timing for optimal performance.

WagonR Flex Fuel Engine Specifications

The WagonR Flex Fuel is based on Maruti Suzuki's 1.2L normal petrol engine. While Maruti Suzuki are yet to reveal the complete specifications of the flex-fuel version, the company says the powertrain is modified to support ethanol blends up to E85.

For reference, the standard 1.2-litre petrol engine develops:

The flex-fuel version is expected to offer similar performance figures, although official specifications are still awaited.

WagonR Flex Fuel Design And Features

Visually, the 2026 WagonR Flex Fuel remains unchanged from the standard model. The only distinguishing elements are the Flex Fuel badges on the front doors and BioFuel badging on the tailgate.

Inside, the hatchback retains the same dashboard layout and feature set as the regular WagonR.

Key features include:

• 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Steering-mounted controls
• Semi-digital instrument cluster
• All four power windows
• Keyless entry
• Electrically adjustable ORVMs

Safety features include:

• 6 airbags
• ABS with EBD
• Hill hold assist
• Rear parking sensors

Government Plans For E85 Fuel

The unveiling of the WagonR Flex Fuel coincides with the rollout of E85 fuel in India. According to Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, E85 fuel will be priced substantially lower than regular petrol to encourage adoption.

The government plans to establish E85 dispensing stations across key corridors such as Delhi-NCR and Mumbai-Pune-Nagpur before expanding the network nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is also working on regulatory changes to support the use of E85, E100, biodiesel and hydrogen-based fuels.

WagonR Flex Fuel Launch Timeline

Maruti Suzuki are yet to announce a launch timeline for the WagonR Flex Fuel. However, the company is expected to initially offer the vehicle to fleet operators and mobility service providers such as Ola and Uber before considering a wider rollout.

With the unveiling of the WagonR Flex Fuel, Maruti Suzuki have taken a significant step towards introducing flex-fuel technology in the mass-market passenger vehicle segment, while aligning with the government's alternative fuel roadmap.

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