Honda plans to launch its first flex-fuel motorcycle in India

Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI) plans to launch its first motorcycle with flex-fuel engine. Honda, one of India's largest two-wheeler manufacturers, has announced that the new flex-fuel motorcycle will be launched in the next two years. Honda will become the second two-wheeler manufacturer in India to launch a flex-fuel engine powered motorcycle after TVS launched Apache RTR 200 Fi E100 with a flex-fuel engine.

Atsushi Ogata, chief executive officer of Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India, made the announcement during an international conference on biofuels in Delhi on Wednesday (October 19). He said, "Our internal target is minimum, one model, the first model of flexi-fuel motorcycle to be launched by end-2024." He did not divulge which models will be used as the first flex-fuel motorcycle from the brand.

Earlier, Honda had said that it has been working on a flex-fuel commuter motorcycle. The Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer already sells flex-fuel motorcycles in other countries like Brazil. The company may launch one or more commuter motorcycles in India with flex-fuel engines that would enable them to run on petrol and ethanol.

Though TVS Motor beat Honda to be the first in India to launch flex-fuel engine powered two-wheeler, the Japanese manufacturer was the first to launch it globally. Honda CG150 Titan Mix was the world's first flex-fuel motorcycle that was launched in Brazil in 2009. The two-wheeler brand also launched flex-fuel engine powered motorcycles such as NXR 150 Bros Mix and BIZ 125 Flex in Brazil.

Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India's announcement to launch a flex-fuel motorcycle in the country comes at a time when the Centre has been pushing automakers to opt for cleaner and more affordable alternate fuel-based vehicles. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has been particularly vocal about launching flex-fuel vehicles in India to reduce costly oil imports. He recently unveiled the first flex-fuel car, a Toyota Camry Hybrid model, as he emphasised the need to go for ethanol-mixed petrol as fuel.