Nitin Gadkari to unveil 100% ethanol-fueled variant of Toyota Innova

New Delhi: Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari will unveil a 100 per cent ethanol-fueled variant of Toyota's Innova car on August 29.

The Union minister, who has been exhorting automakers to come out with alternative fuel-powered and green vehicles, had last year launched a hydrogen-powered car, Toyota Mirai EV.

This car will be World's first BS-VI (Stage-II), electrified flex-fuel vehicle.

Gadkari said last week that he started taking interest in biofuels in 2004 after the petrol price hike in the country and visited Brazil for this purpose.

He opined that biofuels can do wonders and save a lot of forex which is being spent on the import of petroleum.

"If we want to become Atamnirbhar (self-reliant) we have to bring this oil import to zero. At present it is Rs 16 lakh crore. This is a big loss to the economy," Gadkari said.

He stressed that India needs to take more sustainable measures as pollution is a big problem in the country.