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The first flex fuel bike of Hero MotoCorp could be a Splendor or a HF Deluxe and they have already received regulatory approvals
A commuter motorcycle running on fuel made almost entirely from ethanol will enter India before any mainstream electric bike from the same category reaches similar scale. Hero MotoCorp is set to launch its first flex fuel motorcycle in New Delhi on June 3, 2026 with Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Hardeep Singh Puri expected at the event.
The motorcycle will be capable of running on E100 which pushes it far ahead of the flex fuel two wheelers already available in India. Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 and Honda CB 300F can operate on E85, a blend containing 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol. Hero’s new model, however, has been engineered for a much higher ethanol concentration.
E100 in India is not pure ethanol in the strict laboratory sense. It generally contains 93 to 93.5 per cent ethanol, around 5 per cent petrol and about 1.5 to 2 per cent co solvents and additives. The composition still places the upcoming Hero motorcycle far ahead of current flex fuel products sold in the country.
Two models are already ready from a regulatory standpoint. Flex fuel versions of HF Deluxe and Splendor have received approvals but Hero has not yet revealed which nameplate will be introduced on launch day. The HF Deluxe appears to be the stronger candidate because it was displayed in flex fuel form at Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025.
Splendor remains a possibility because of its wider reach and household recognition across India. The technical work behind the E100 engine has been carried out at Hero Centre for Innovation and Technology in Jaipur. Hero has developed the engine framework locally to handle fuel delivery, cold starting, combustion and durability requirements linked to high ethanol use.
Running a mass market motorcycle on E100 is not a simple fuel switch. Ethanol behaves differently from petrol inside the engine and fuel system. It needs material compatibility changes, altered calibration and reliable starting behaviour across varied climates. Fuel availability will decide how fast this technology can grow.
Indian Oil commercially introduced E100 in 2024 and the fuel is currently available across 183 outlets. Hero’s management has already suggested that flex fuel vehicles can scale faster than EVs in India right now. Ethanol, produced domestically, helps reduce crude oil imports and can fit existing refuelling habits more naturally than battery charging for many consumers.
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