All vehicle manufacturers will soon have to mandatorily power vehicles with flex-fuel engines (that can run on more than one fuel). Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday revealed he will be issuing an order in this regard in the next 3 to 4 months.

Flex engines are power trains that can run on more than one fuel, adding to the consumer’s choice. Additionally, these engines reduce dependency on conventional fossil fuel such as gasoline. Flex fuel engines are popular in some Latin American countries as well as in the United States.

The announcement by the transport minister was made while addressing people during the foundation stone laying ceremony of the flyover from Rajaram Bridge in Pune.

Gadkari said, “In the next three to four months, I will be issuing an order, mandating all vehicle manufacturers to power vehicles with flex engines.”

“I am going to issue an order in the next three to four months, in which carmakers - from BMW, Mercedes to TATA and Mahindra - will be asked to make flex engines,” he said.

Gadkari said he had asked Bajaj and TVS companies to introduce flex engines in their vehicles, and also instructed them not to approach him until and unless they do so, after which they came up with an ethanol-flex engine.

Flex-fuel, or flexible fuel, is an alternative fuel made of a combination of gasoline and methanol or ethanol.

He said he wishes to see the country get rid of petrol and diesel consumption in his lifetime by switching to locally-produced ethanol. “I have a wish. I would like to stop the petrol and diesel use in the country in my lifetime and our farmers can give the alternative to this in the form of ethanol,” he said.