Toyota has unveiled the Fortuner with a flex-fuel engine at the ongoing Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) 2023. Known as the Fortuner Flexy Fuel, it comes with the same 2.7-litre, four-cylinder engine as the Fortuner petrol, but has been modified significantly to be able to run on 100 percent bioethanol.
- Fortuner flex-fuel runs on 100 percent bioethanol fuel
- Is rear-wheel drive only, comes mated to 6AT gearbox
- Toyota has been testing hybrid flex-fuel vehicles in India
Toyota Fortuner flex-fuel: what is it?
What Toyota has showcased at the GIIAS 2023 is a prototype model that can run on 100 percent bioethanol fuel. The 2.7-litre, naturally aspirated, four-cylinder petrol engine will have undergone sufficient modifications to its fuel system as well as ECU programming due to ethanol’s more corrosive nature than petrol.
The Fortuner Flexy Fuel produces 163hp and 243Nm of torque, which is 3hp and 2Nm down from the regular petrol-powered SUV. In Indonesia, it has been showcased with an automatic transmission, sending power to just the rear wheels. Except for a unique livery showing its green credentials, there are no other changes to this version of the Fortuner.
Toyota Fortuner flex-fuel: will it come to India?
While this Fortuner is currently only in the prototype stage, Toyota has already been conducting tests of flex-fuel vehicles in India. In October 2022, Toyota showcased the Corolla Altis Hybrid in India as a pilot project to test flex-fuel-powered cars here. The model showcased was tuned to use ethanol-blended fuel (E85), and was meant to be a technology demonstrator for the brand.
If the Fortuner flex-fuel makes it to production for other markets, it could very well make it to India as well.
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Dipan Sur
Dhruv Dhaka
