These vehicles provide the twin benefit of higher fuel substitution (with ethanol) as well as good fuel efficiency, due to high ratio of electric mode driving
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) unveiled prototype of the world's first BS 6 (Stage II) electrified flex fuel vehicle on Tuesday. Electrified flex fuel vehicle helps to shift ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) technology to flex fuel engines and further enables the creation of new manufacturing ecosystem for electrified powertrain parts which are common to Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) thereby providing a disruption free and smooth energy transition.
Unveiling the prototype, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari states, “It is indeed commendable to see that Toyota is making strong efforts for transiting to cleaner energy options and for environment conservation with its multiple advanced technological capabilities like hydrogen vehicle, electrified flex fuel vehicle and more. Today, we unveiled the prototype of the world’s first BS 6 (stage II), electrified flex fuel vehicle of Toyota, aligning with the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan”
The challenge with flex fuel vehicles is lower fuel efficiency of ethanol due to its lower energy density. Globally to counter this challenge, electrified flex fuel vehicles are being introduced, as an advanced green technology that has both the flex fuel engine as well as an electric powertrain. These vehicles provide the twin benefit of higher fuel substitution (with ethanol) as well as good fuel efficiency, due to high ratio of electric mode driving. They use minimal advanced chemistry batteries, thus guarding against negative impact of high imports of cells and cell raw material, considering possible geo-political supply risks.
While electrified flex fuel vehicle technology was introduced in Brazil in the year 2019, the emission norms followed there are lower than BS 6. The prototype unveiled on Tuesday is built-on Innova Hycross and is designed to be compatible with India’s higher emission norms, making it the world’s first prototype of BS 6 (stage II) electrified flex fuel vehicle.
The company previously partnered with the Indian Institute of Science (IISC, Bangalore) and Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) undertaking study of W2W emissions and creating awareness about the use of ethanol as a sustainable biofuel.