Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has approved the purchase of 33 ethanol-powered cars for its ministers. The cars, which are the Toyota Innova Hycross, cost around Rs 30 lakh each.
As per news report published in The Times of India, the decision to procure new vehicles was taken based on a norm that the vehicle should have run either 1 lakh kilometres or completed three years on the road.
Said to be the world’s first fully ethanol-powered car equipped with a flex-fuel engine, the model was launched recently. The government placed an order after the August 29 launch.
The government says that ethanol-powered cars are more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly than traditional petrol or diesel cars. They are also expected to save the government money on fuel costs.
The order specifies that the government will directly approach Toyota Kirloskar Motor Company in Bengaluru for the exemption under section 4G of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act of 1999 through the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR). For good quality services under acceptable rates, DPAR is vested with the powers to procure them.
Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari unveiled a 100 per cent ethanol-fueled variant of Toyota’s Innova HyCross car in the presence of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minster Mahendra Nath Pandey, MD & CEO of Toyota Masakazu Yoshimura , MD & CEO of Kirloskar Systems Limited Geetanjali Kirloskar, Ambassador, Diplomats from Japan Embassy, higher officials and advisors. This car is said to be the world’s first BS-VI (Stage-II), electrified flex-fuel vehicle.
