EXCLUSIVE: Ethanol Conversion Kits Should Cost No More Than Rs 15,000: ISMA DG

Ethanol conversion kits for existing petrol vehicles should cost no more than Rs 15,000 if manufactured locally, according to Deepak Ballani, Director General, Indian Sugar & Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA). The industry body has also worked with IIT Delhi to evaluate imported ethanol conversion kits on a BS4 Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, which Ballani said was run on E20, E85 and E100 fuels without any damage being reported during testing.

In an Exclusive conversation with Autocar Professional, Ballani said the imported kits were tested on the Swift Dzire over a distance of between 5,000 km and 10,000 km to assess performance and durability across different ethanol blends.

“After extensive study, they submitted a report and said that BS4 and BS6 vehicles could be converted by this conversion kit to a flex-fuel vehicle. It can have any fuel, E85 or E100, and is running fine without any damage to the vehicle,” he said.

The development is significant as India begins exploring higher ethanol blends beyond E20. While E85 fuel has recently been introduced, its use is currently limited to flex-fuel vehicles specifically designed or calibrated to handle higher ethanol concentrations.

Ballani said conversion kits could provide a pathway for millions of existing petrol vehicle owners to access higher ethanol blends without replacing their vehicles. He added that ISMA has written to the concerned authorities seeking a framework for approval, testing and localisation of such kits in India.

According to Ballani, local manufacturing could significantly reduce costs. “The cost locally, if it can be done in India, will be in the range of around Rs 15,000 for the end consumer,” he said, adding that economies of scale could help make the technology affordable.

However, Ballani acknowledged that the technology is still some distance away from commercial deployment in India. While the imported kits have undergone preliminary evaluation, he said locally manufactured kits would need to undergo formal testing and validation by the relevant regulatory agencies and industry stakeholders, including automotive testing agencies and vehicle manufacturers, before they can be approved for use in the market.

If approved, ethanol conversion kits could emerge as a bridge technology in India’s ethanol roadmap, enabling existing BS4 and BS6 petrol vehicles to operate on higher ethanol blends while supporting the country’s broader goals of reducing crude oil imports and increasing the use of domestically produced biofuels.