Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has unveiled its first flex-fuel two-wheeler for the Indian market at the Bharat Mobility Expo 2024. The company has modified its popular CB300F streetfighter to run on E85 fuel, which is a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.
The CB300F FFV (Flex-Fuel Vehicle) is powered by a 293.52 cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that can operate on both petrol and ethanol-blended fuels. The engine produces 24.13 bhp of maximum power at 7,500 rpm and 25.6 Nm of peak torque at 5,500 rpm. The transmission is a six-speed unit with a slip-and-assist clutch. The CB300F FFV looks identical to the regular CB300F, except for the FFV badge on the fuel tank. The motorcycle features LED lighting, a digital instrument cluster, upside-down forks, a monoshock, and disc brakes with dual-channel ABS.
Honda has not announced the launch date or the price of the CB300F FFV yet. However, the company has said that it is ready to introduce the flex-fuel technology in other models as well, depending on the market demand and availability of ethanol fuel.
Honda claims that the flex-fuel technology offers several benefits, such as lower carbon emissions, reduced dependence on fossil fuels, and lower fuel costs. The company also says that the flex-fuel technology is compatible with the government’s initiatives to promote ethanol-blended and ethanol fuels in the country.
Honda is not new to the flex-fuel technology, as it has already sold over 7 million flex-fuel motorcycles in Brazil, where ethanol is widely used as a fuel. The company has also showcased its hybrid, electric, and battery-swapping technologies at the Bharat Mobility Expo 2024, demonstrating its commitment to offer sustainable and smart mobility solutions to the customers.