New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS): Union Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday launched Toyota's pilot project on flex fuel-strong hybrid electric vehicle (FFV-SHEV) that can run on 20 to 100 per cent ethanol.

"Today our dream has come true...! Launched India's first FFV-SHEV which would run on 100 per cent petrol as well as 20 to 100 per cent blended ethanol and electric powertrain," said Gadkari on Tuesday after launching the car.

The Union Minister added that the success of this pilot project will create an ecosystem of electric vehicles and make India a global leader in the manufacture of these electric vehicles.

"Encouraging our 'Anndatas' to become 'Urjadatas', the success of this pilot project will create an ecosystem of electric vehicles and make #NewIndia, a global leader in the manufacture of these electric vehicles. Such technologies are innovative, revolutionary, sustainable, cost-effective, energy-efficient and will completely transform the transportation sector in New India," he said.

Apart from Gadkari, Union Ministers Mahendra Nath Pandey, Bhupender Yadav and senior officials of Toyota Kirloskar Motor were present at the event on Tuesday.

FFV-SHEV has benefits of higher ethanol use and greater fuel efficiency as it has a flex-fuel engine and an electric powertrain. Flex-fuel compatible cars can run on more than one type of fuel and also a mixture.

Flexi fuel vehicles give an option of greater substitution of petrol by ethanol as it is capable of using any of the higher blends of ethanol mix from 20 per cent up to 100 per cent.

Many times, Gadkari has talked about the benefits of green fuel, saying alternative fuel is the future.

Recently, he had stressed on the need to switch to alternative fuel like ethanol and said efforts are on to introduce ethanol in construction and agriculture equipment.