E20 Fuel Delays Yamaha’s Big Bike Launch Plan

Yamaha’s plans to launch more premium products in India has been delayed due to E20 fuel (20 per cent Ethanol) blending in petrol. car&bike has learnt that Yamaha’s plans to launch big bike models in India, including the Yamaha MT-09, has been delayed due to the new E20 regulations. While Yamaha had already prepared to homologate its big bike line-up for India, the new regulations will mean that any new model to be launched in India, will need to be homologated once again.

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While Yamaha has not disclosed which models are being considered for India, models like the Yamaha MT-09, R9, MT-07 and R7 are expected to be launched in India. Yamaha India now says the new big bike models will be launched in early 2026 after homologation for India is completed. The clarification for E20 compliant models was given as part of a pointed question about the plans to launch the Yamaha MT-09 which we rode last year in Japan. For now, it appears that the MT-09, MT-07 and other models in Yamaha’s middleweight segment will be launched in India, only by 2026.

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The Indian government’s push to blend 20 per cent ethanol in petrol, requires all new vehicles manufactured from April 2023 to be E20 compliant, with stricter enforcement beginning April 2025. For any new launches, including Yamaha’s premium models, will need to be tweaked to meet the E20 regulations. Yamaha’s product plans will include CBU models (full imports), manufactured in Japan, and these models will need to be manufactured to specifications to perform adequately with only E20 blend available in India, and meet the regulations.

Yamaha's current premium product line-up meets Euro 6 regulations but will have to undergo further changes to be modified to meet the E20 regulations in India, which require all vehicles sold in India to be compatible with 20 per cent Ethanol blended fuel from 2025.