No future for petrol, diesel vehicles, Nitin Gadkari pushes clean fuel shift

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said petrol and diesel vehicles have no long-term future, urging the automobile industry to accelerate the shift towards cleaner and alternative fuels. Speaking at the Busworld India Conclave 2025, Gadkari said fossil fuels create serious challenges due to import dependence and environmental concerns. The minister highlighted multiple alternatives, including electric mobility, biofuels, CNG, LNG, and hydrogen-powered vehicles.“We are running hydrogen trucks and buses on 10 routes. Hydrogen is the fuel of the future,” he said.
Gadkari also stressed the importance of ethanol, saying India has a strong capacity to produce it from multiple feedstocks, while flex-fuel engines are already under development and E20 fuel adoption is underway. The minister emphasised the importance of ethanol as a significant alternative fuel, pointing out India's capability to generate ethanol from various feedstocks. He further revealed that the industry is already working on the development of flex fuel engines while vehicles continue to operate on E20 fuel.
The minister also focused on public transport safety, saying bus registrations must now be uploaded on the Vahan Portal along with physical and video approvals, replacing the earlier self-certification system for manufacturers.
According to Gadkari,the demand for electric buses alone is projected to reach 150,000 units in the next three years, while the current manufacturing capacity is approximately 70,000 buses per year.