Tuesday, June 23, 2026
By Kamal Swami
Mumbai Residents Can Now Access E85 Fuel
After the Delhi-NCR region, Mumbai has become the second city in India to offer E85 fuel, marking another important step in the country's transition toward cleaner and more sustainable transportation fuels. The ethanol-rich fuel is now available at select fuel stations in Mumbai. E85 is a mixture of 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol. It is completely different from the E20 fuel currently available across the country, which contains 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol. The introduction of E85 is part of the government's strategy to reduce dependence on imported crude oil and promote domestically produced biofuels.
In Mumbai, E85 fuel has been priced at Rs 91.18 per litre. Although this is approximately Rs9 more expensive than the current price in Delhi-NCR, it remains around Rs20 cheaper than conventional E20 petrol sold in the city. The lower cost is expected to make E85 an attractive option for owners of compatible vehicles. However, the availability of compatible vehicles remains one of the biggest challenges for widespread adoption. E85 can only be used in flex-fuel vehicles specifically engineered to operate on high ethanol blends. Most cars and motorcycles currently on Indian roads are not designed for E85 use. Automakers have already begun introducing flex-fuel models, including the Maruti Suzuki WagonR Flex Fuel and Hero MotoCorp's flex-fuel variants of the Splendour Plus and HF Deluxe motorcycles.
The government and fuel retailers are also working to expand the supporting infrastructure. The initial rollout covers a limited number of fuel stations, but authorities have announced plans to increase the network to around 500 E85 dispensing stations by the end of 2026. The long-term target is to establish nearly 5,000 E85 fuel stations across major cities and transport corridors by 2027. Industry experts believe that broader adoption of E85 could help reduce fuel import bills, support India's ethanol industry, and lower vehicle emissions. However, the success of the initiative will largely depend on the availability of flex-fuel vehicles and the continued expansion of fueling infrastructure across the country.
With Mumbai now joining Delhi-NCR in offering E85 fuel, India has taken another significant step toward diversifying its fuel ecosystem and encouraging the use of cleaner alternative fuels in the automotive sector.
