Kia Syros Flex Fuel to Launch When Market is Ready: Company Shows Off Concept Model

In addition to launching the Sorento SUV and announcing the upcoming Carnival HEV hybrid MPV, Kia had another surprise in store at its Inspiration Day event, the Korean carmaker unveiled the Syros Flex Fuel Concept, previewing its first model in India capable of running on E0-100 blended petrol.

While there are no concrete details about its launch and pricing, Kia has disclosed some details. The Syros Flex Fuel is ready “the moment the market calls for it”, which means that the company is waiting to gauge consumer readiness and will be able to respond quickly to any changes in government policy. The modified car will be able to run on pure petrol, today’s E20 blend, and future blends up to almost pure Ethanol, including E85 which is currently being tested in anticipation of future rollout.

The Syros Flex Fuel will have reinforced engine and fuel routing components to avoid corrosion and degradation potentially caused by the altered fuel chemistry. Kia has not yet disclosed how the performance of this variant might differ from that of the standard Syros.

Other aspects of this model such as its exterior design and feature list are not likely to be modified at all, compared to today’s ICE Syros.

The move comes after Maruti Suzuki launched the Wagon-R Bioflex in June this year, compatible with up to E85 blended fuel. Hero MotoCorp has also launched flex-fuel-compatible variants of its Splendor and HF Delux models, Honda recently debuted the ADV160 and CB300F, and Yamaha has introduced the FZ Blue Flex. Several other manufacturers have shown off prototype cars and bikes in India and abroad. However, upfront costs are higher and the fuel isn’t widely available yet, leading to slow adoption so far.

This is a strategically important move for Kia, as part of its multi-powertrain approach to the evolving Indian market. Not all buyers are ready or able to adopt electric or even hybrid cars, and so Kia has decided to diversify its portfolio here in order to achieve its target of 7.6 percent market share by 2030. The company also unveiled CNG versions of the Carens and Carens Clavis at the same event, both of which are expected to hit the market shortly.