Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari launched Toyota's pilot project on Flexi-Fuel Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicles (FFV-SHEV) in India this week. Such vehicles can run on 100% petrol as well as on 20% to 100% mixed ethanol and electric.

Union ministers Mahendranath Pandey, Bhupender Yadav, Rameswar Teli, deputy chairman of Toyota Kirloskar Motors Vikram Kirloskar and Masakazu Yoshimura, director and chief executive of Toyota Kirloskar Motors, attended the occasion.

Addressing the meeting, Gadkari said an increase in agricultural growth rate from 6% to 8% is necessary for Atmanirbhar Bharat. He stressed the importance of converting surplus food grain and sugar into ethanol for boosting the rural economy.

The minister said the success of this pilot project will create an ecosystem of electric vehicles and make India a global leader in the production of these vehicles.