The Ministry has notified the test requirements for Type Approval and extension for two, three and four-wheeled vehicles, an official statement said today.
It has also notified the technical specifications of reference fuel E85 and ED95 used for testing of such vehicles, it added.
"This Notification will enable vehicle manufacturers to manufacture vehicles running on bio-ethanol E85 and ED95. A bio-ethanol fuel bus is already under trial in Nagpur," it said.
Alternative fuels are either produced in the country for e.G. Ethanol, bio-CNG etc or generated locally such as solar photo-voltaic and other sources of electric power which can be stored in electric batteries.
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The Ministry has already notified Draft Rules for mass emission norms and testing standards of vehicles running on bio-CNG, which are under finalisation. The standards of small series testing of vehicles running on electric power have already been notified by the Ministry, it said.
These steps will enable use of alternative fuels in vehicles in India.
The companies involved in research and development of such technologies have promised that they will develop economically-viable model so that the purchasers of such buses may find it viable for a longer duration, it added.
Hybrid systems of IC engine and electric motors for cars have been successfully tested and are in the process of notification under CMVR.
"One developer has got the testing of three-wheeled auto-rickshaws retrofitted with electric motor completed on the test bench in one of the test agencies and will very soon start on-road testing in three cities," it added.
Gadkari stressed that promotion of such technologies will encourage 'Make in India' objective and also reduce dependence of the country on imported fossil fuels, it said.