Syllabus: GS-III, Subject: Environment, Ecology and Disaster Management, Topic: Clean Energy, Issue: Flex fuel vehicles
Context: The government is considering a cut in taxes on flex-fuel vehicles, pushing for cleaner transportation.
Gist:
- Currently, 28% GST is levied on flex-fuel vehicles, while on electric vehicles it is 5%.
- The government has set a net-zero target by 2070.
- Ethanol blending target: 20% ethanol blended petrol by 2025.
Flex fuel vehicles:
- Equipped with internal combustion engines but designed to run on more than one fuel.
- Primarily meant to run on biofuels such as ethanol and methanol, or a blend of biofuels and conventional fuels.
| Benefits | Challenges |
| Reduced reliance on fossil fuels | Lower fuel efficiency |
| Fuel flexibility for drivers | Availability of ethanol |
| Improved acceleration | Higher upfront cost |
