Toyota Unveils First Flex Fuel Hybrid Vehicle In India

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari showcased the long-awaited Toyota Corolla Altis Hybrid. It’s the first flex hybrid vehicle capable of running on ethanol in the country.

Flexible fuels, such as gasoline, ethanol, or a mixture of the two, can be used in flex-fuel cars. These cars allow you to switch between ethanol and gasoline as engine fuel. They can also run the engine off the battery, lowering the amount of carbon dioxide it emits. As of the right moment, ethanol is significantly less expensive than gasoline in India, giving flex fuel vehicle owners the option to use the fuel to reduce their fuel costs. Additionally, it will assist India in lessening its reliance on petroleum imports.

The government has begun flex fuel production in India. Depending on the ratio of gasoline to ethanol, these are categorised as E95, E90, and E85. The Flexi-Fuel Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicles (FFV-SHEV) technology is the foundation of the Toyota Corolla Altis Hybrid, a pioneering pilot project vehicle. It is propelled by a 1.8-liter petrol-hybrid engine that is ethanol ready. According to Kenichi Ayukawa, president of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the programme will enable India to achieve its goal of ranking among the top worldwide producers in each car class within the next 25 years.

How Flex Fuel & petrol cars are different -

The majority of the components in flexible fuel vehicles are comparable to those in gasoline-only vehicles, according to the US Department of Energy. The FFVs primarily have an internal combustion engine and may run on gasoline or a mixture of up to 83% ethanol and gasoline. These automobiles have several specific ethanol-compatible components installed in them that mark them apart from gasoline-only vehicles. The fuel pump and fuel injection system have been modified. Engine Control Modules are also used to adjust FFVs to account for the greater oxygen content of ethanol. It keeps an eye on and manages the emissions system, ignition timing, and fuel mixture. Along with this, the module also monitors how the car is being driven and protects the engine against misuse. It is also in charge of identifying and resolving issues.