Amidst the increasing trend of ethanol fuel in the country, Tata Motors has introduced the flex-fuel model of Punch. This car will also be able to run on high-ethanol mixture like E85. It is expected that many major technical changes will be seen in this model based on the new Punch facelift.
GiveA new era of ethanol fuel and vehicles running on it has started. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has been advocating mixing ethanol in petrol for a long time. Automobile companies working in India have also given good response to his vision regarding flex-fuel vehicles. It has started with Maruti Suzuki WagonR flex-fuel. Tata Motors is also among the 12 companies that Nitin Gadkari had confirmed working on flex-fuel technology.
Tata also showcased the Punch flex-fuel at the 2025 Bharat Mobility Expo. However, it was based on the old i.e. pre-facelift model. Tata is now expected to launch a flex-fuel vehicle that will be capable of running on high-mixtures like E85 (85% ethanol). Its testing can start with the test model of the new Punch facelift seen recently.
What to expect from Tata Punch Flex-Fuel?
After the release of Maruti Suzuki WagonR flex-fuel on June 4, 2026, Tata Motors has also stepped up preparations for its first flex-fuel vehicle. Some recently surfaced spy pictures have shown a fully covered testing model of the Tata Punch SUV. This indicates that Tata Motors is trying to launch its flex-fuel vehicle by late 2026 or early 2027.
At the 2025 India Mobility Expo, the Punch flex-fuel that Tata Motors showcased could run on ethanol blends up to E85. It was based on the pre-facelift Punch. At the same time, the new testing model that has been seen is based on the new Punch facelift launched earlier this year. It is possible that a production-ready version of flex-fuel technology is being tested on this model.
To run on fuel with higher ethanol content, several major changes will be made in Tata Punch flex-fuel compared to the existing petrol or i-CNG models. These will include a complete upgrade of the fuel storage system and fuel supply lines, improved fuel injectors, modified ECU (engine control unit) and a new exhaust treatment system.
The Government of India has already prepared the roadmap for ethanol mixing. It is expected that BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) will soon set standards for E22, E25, E27 and E30 fuel for domestic use. The government is also working on increasing the availability of E85 fuel in the country, so that existing and future flex-fuel vehicles can run on it.