India’s New E100 Rules Explained: What It Means and the Impact on Car Owners?

On October 23, 2026, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways notified an amendment (G.S.R. 911(E)) to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, published in the Gazette on October 26. It lets certified flex-fuel vehicles run on E100, which is nominally pure ethanol. Rule 115 now reads “E85 or E100” in its emission and testing provisions, and formally recognises regular petrol as E10/E20. The change applies only to OEM-certified flex-fuel vehicles, so ordinary E20 petrol cars cannot use E85 or E100. It supports India’s push to use more ethanol and cut crude oil imports, and it gives carmakers a clear approval path for flex-fuel launches.

What Is the Change in the E100 Rule for flex-fuel vehicles?

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has amended the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, to permit E100 in flex-fuel vehicles. The notification (G.S.R. 911(E)) was issued on October 23 and published in the Gazette on October 26.

Changes Have Been Made in the Central Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Rules, 2026

1. Rule 115: References to “E85” now read “E85 or E100” across emission and testing provisions.
2. Explanatory note: E85 or E100 can be used only in OEM-certified flex-fuel vehicles.
3. Standard blends: Regular petrol is formally recognised as E10/E20, so emission testing matches what pumps actually sell.

What Does the E100 Vehicle Rule Change Mean for Car Owners?

1. No change for most owners: An E20-compliant petrol car cannot use E85 or E100.
2. Only certified vehicles: Only vehicles designed and certified by manufacturers as flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) can use these fuels.
3. Cars: The Maruti Suzuki WagonR flex-fuel is the only flex-fuel car on sale. Tata, Kia and Toyota plan to launch models such as the Kia Syros FFV and Toyota Hycross.
4. Two-wheelers: Hero MotoCorp launched flex-fuel Splendor+ and HF Deluxe in June, and the Suzuki Gixxer is already on sale.

What Is E100 Ethanol Fuel?

In fuel codes, “E” stands for ethanol and the number shows its share by volume. E100 is nominally 100% ethanol, so it is very different from petrol. It is made from crops like sugarcane and maize, which links it to farming and biofuel policy. The exact specifications depend on the applicable standard.

A flex-fuel vehicle has an engine and fuel system built to run on petrol-ethanol blends. Not every flex-fuel vehicle can run on every blend. Brazil and the USA already use this technology widely.

Why Does the E100 Flex-Fuel Rule Change Matter Now?

1. India reached 20% ethanol blending (E20) in 2025, five years before the 2030 target under the National Policy on Biofuels.
2. Since April 1, 2026, E20 has been the standard petrol at all regular pumps.
3. E85 sales began at select IOCL outlets in mid-2026.
4. The rule gives carmakers a clear approval path to launch flex-fuel vehicles.
5. Greater ethanol use can help reduce dependence on imported crude oil.

What Is the Difference Between E10, E20, E85 and E100?

The main difference is the percentage of ethanol