IEC 2025: From Ethanol to Hydrogen, Nitin Gadkari Outlines India’s Roadmap for Clean Mobility
Nitin Gadkari, India’s Minister of Road Transport, is advocating for sustainable mobility and alternative fuels to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. At the India Economic Conclave 2025, he emphasized the economic and environmental benefits of transitioning to biofuels like ethanol, methanol, and electric energy. He defended E20 fuel, highlighting successful global blending practices. Gadkari also promoted hydrogen as a future fuel, envisioning reduced costs and widespread adoption through ongoing trials.
Photo : TIMES DRIVE
IEC 2025: From Ethanol to Hydrogen, Nitin Gadkari Outlines India’s Roadmap for Clean Mobility
Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India (MoRTH) has been proactively driving road & highway infrastructure in the country. He has also been a strong advocate of clean mobility. Speaking at the India Economic Conclave 2025, he once again showered light on India’s transition towards alternative fuels and sustainable mobility. He stated that India should reduce its dependance of fossil fuel imports and move towards sustainable mobility solutions, citing that this will be in turn great for India economically as well as environmentally.
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Lower Fuel Costs Through Alternative Energy
At the event Gadkari said that the government is actively promoting ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, LNG, electric and hydrogen as alternatives to fossil based fuels like petrol and diesel. He lauded electric mobility and added that electric trucks are expected to reduce logistics costs which will boost the Indian economy. He even shared that hydrogen-powered vehicles are being tested in the country. Four months ago, Gadkari flagged off three green hydrogen trucks from Tata Motors as part of pilot projects, signaling progress in real-world deployment.
Gadkari Defends E20 Fuel
The debate around E20 fuel which uses a blend of petrol and ethanol is quite hot in the market. Addressing concerns around E20 fuel, Gadkari said ethanol blending is a proven solution globally. He cited Brazil, where ethanol has been in use since 1949 and the blend has now reached 27 percent.
In India, he said, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) conducted testing over two years and found that only washers required replacement, components that are routinely changed during regular servicing. He added that ethanol use does not damage vehicle machinery.
Highlighting benefits of Ethanol Gadkari said that India has begun producing ethanol from corn, which has resulted in farmers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar receiving over Rs 45,000 crore. He said reducing fuel imports and expanding the use of biofuels would support energy self-reliance while cutting emissions.
Hybrids & Flex-Fuel Vehicles
On the matter of hybrid and flex-fuel vehicles, Gadkari said he arrived at the conclave in a flex-fuel hybrid car which is powered by ethanol and he confirmed that such vehicles will be rolled out once regulatory norms are cleared. He reiterated that agricultural waste, including stubble, can be used to produce ethanol and even CNG, reinforcing the government’s waste-to-wealth approach.
Green Hydrogen: Fuel of the Future
Nitin Gadkari and the Indian government both have upheld green hydrogen as the fuel of the future. The government even has a vision to make India the global hub for green hydrogen and its technology. At the event Gadkari hailed green hydrogen as the fuel of the future, noting that he uses a hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai as part of pilot testing. He explained the four types of hydrogen- black (from coal), brown (a petroleum byproduct) and green hydrogen produced from water, agro waste or bio waste.
Across the world automakers and policymakers are looking to harness the power of hydrogen for clean mobility. However at present green hydrogen remains a high cost alternative but Gadkari shared his vision/dream to bring the cost of green hydrogen down to one dollar per kilogram. Hydrogen-powered buses and trucks are already under trial, strengthening the case for wider adoption. Indian automakers have been actively testing hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (HFCEVs) and hydrogen internal combustion (H2ICE) vehicles.
Call for Sustainable Mobility
Clarifying that he does not personally own any cars, Gadkari said all vehicles he uses are part of pilot projects. He concluded by urging citizens to move away from petrol and diesel vehicles and adopt sustainable and renewable mobility solutions instead.
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