Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle | 01 Sep 2023

Source: PIB

Why in News?

Recently, the Prototype of the world’s 1^st Bharat Stage-6 (BS6) Stage-II, Electrified Flex fuel vehicle, developed by Toyota Kirloskar Motor was unveiled.

• This vehicle is capable of running on up to 85% ethanol blended petrol and features an electric powertrain.
• The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas has also highlighted flex-fuel vehicles' potential to substitute petrol with higher ethanol blends beyond 20%.

What are the Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicles?

• About:
  • Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle integrates both a Flex Fuel engine and an electric powertrain, offering the dual benefit of higher ethanol use and improved fuel efficiency.
  • Flex Fuel Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicles (FFV-SHEV): When FFV is integrated along with strong hybrid electric technology, it is referred as FFV-SHEVs.
    • Strong hybrid is another term for full hybrid vehicles, which have the capability to run solely on either electric or petrol modes.
    • In contrast, mild hybrids cannot run purely on one of these modes and use the secondary mode merely as a supplement to the main mode of propulsion.
• Significance:
  • The integration of an electric powertrain reduces reliance on conventional fuels, contributing towards sustainable transportation and India's 'Aatmnirbhar Bharat' initiative as production of ethanol increases.
  • Similar to SHEVs, this vehicle can achieve significantly higher fuel efficiency, optimizing the use of ethanol and electricity.
  • By promoting the use of FFVs, India can capitalize on its abundant ethanol potential, reducing petrol consumption.
  • The vehicle represents a significant stride towards decarbonization and greener mobility, aligning with global efforts to combat climate change.

What are BS6 (Stage II) Norms?

• BS6 Norms: The Bharat Stage (BS) norms are emission standards instituted by the Government of India to regulate the output of air pollutants from motor vehicles.
  • The BS regulations are based on the European emission standards and the Central Pollution Control Board implements these standards.
  • Presently, every newly sold and registered vehicle in India is required to adhere to the BS-VI version of emission regulations.
• BS6 Stage II: BS6(Stage II) has even stricter emission limits compared to the initial BS6 norms.
  • BS6 (Stage II) incorporates Real Driving Emissions (RDE) and Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE 2) and On-Board Diagnostics.
  • The new RDE test figures will provide a more realistic estimation of the amount of emissions likely to be produced by vehicles in real traffic conditions with frequent changes in speed, acceleration, and deceleration.
  • Onboard diagnostic (OBD) systems monitor and report the status and performance of various vehicle subsystems and sensors.