Toyota Flexi-Fuel Strong Hybrid Electric Pilot Project Launched In India, Check Details

Toyota India has inaugurated the Flexi Fuel Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle (FFV-SHEV) pilot project in India to evaluate the feasibility of using Ethanol as an alternative fuel. Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, unveiled the Toyota Corolla Altis Hybrid that will be used in the pilot project.

The Toyota Corolla Altis Hybrid is currently available in markets where ethanol-blended fuel is widely used, such as Brazil. The vehicle is a left-hand drive technology demonstrator that will test the viability of the ethanol-fueled strong-hybrid powered vehicle in Indian conditions.

The term "flex-fuel" refers to the vehicle's ability to run on regular gasoline, ethanol-blended fuel, or pure ethanol. This is due to the fuel composition sensor and ECU programming, which enables the engine to run on a variety of fuel mixtures. Toyota's strong-hybrid technology, as seen in the recently launched Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, is also featured in the Corolla Altis.

The Union Minister emphasised the importance of alternative fuel vehicles, such as ethanol-powered and electric vehicles, in reducing India's reliance on fossil fuels and the pollution that results. He also stated that the government is currently developing ethanol production facilities that will use sugarcane, a crop grown in abundance in the country.