No Long-Term Future for Petrol & Diesel Vehicles: Gadkari
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari signals end of petrol and diesel vehicles in India, urging a shift to EVs, ethanol and hydrogen for sustainable mobility
April 30, 2026 –Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister of Road, Transport and Highway, has said that petrol and diesel vehicles have “no long-term future” in the country, thus amplifying a larger shift in India’s transport policy. He urged automobile companies to shift quickly to cleaner fuels and technologies.
During a keynote address at the Busworld India Conclave 2026 on Tuesday (April 28), Gadkari issued an ominous message to manufacturers to shift to green technology or risk becoming irrelevant. His statement is being seen as a strong warning plus policy signal indicating that fossil-fuel vehicles will gradually decline and EVs, hybrids and alternative fuels will dominate future markets.
The Minister identified fossil-fuel dependency as a key economic vulnerability and stressed on the need for sustainable and cost-effective mobility. Flagging major concerns of increasing air pollution and dependence on fuel imports, Gadkari stressed on the importance of ethanol as an alternate fuel saying the country is highly adept at generating it from various feedstock and added that the industry is already working on the development of flex fuel engines.
For heavy-duty and long-distance transportation, the Minister said hydrogen was the ultimate solution with government pilot projects already in operation on 10 key routes. Hydrogen-powered buses and trucks are on rigorous trials on routes such as the Delhi-Agra and Mumbai-Pune corridors involving companies like Tata Motors, Volvo, Ashok Leyland and Mahindra & Mahindra.
In a major policy decision, India appears to be moving away from petrol and heading toward a “post-petrol era” driven by policy and economics. Ethanol blending and alternative fuels are becoming central to future energy strategy in a gradual transition going forward.
With Media Inputs
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