Maruti Suzuki is planning to launch CNG fueled versions of their portfolio of cars starting with the WagonR which will be launched in the Indian market by October 2010. Ritz, Estilo, Alto and the SX4 will also get CNG variants subsequently.
Maruti has been working on the technology for around two years and according to the manufacturer, it is almost ready now. We had earlier reported that Maruti would launch factory fitted CNG vehicles in the next fiscal which co-incides with the October launch date for the new CNG WagonR.
The small car buyers are extremely sensitive to price and the company wants to make its cars affordable to run and own for middle class and lower middle class income groups. Maruti Suzuki had recently launched the all new WagonR without the dual fuel variant and we have been getting regular enquiries for the same.
According to I V Rao, Managing Executive Officer (Engineering), Maruti Suzuki
“We have been working on the CNG technology for the last two years and it is almost ready. These products are of high quality and there will be no compromise on safety standards. Most of the parts are imported from Europe, US and Japan. There will be some cost to it.”
Maruti Suzuki will use the latest in CNG technology, iGPI (Intelligent Gas Port Injection) system which calculates the precise amount of gas being injected into each cylinder electronically reducing the power losses to bare minimum while also increasing the fuel efficiency at the same time. The technology is the latest and hence won’t come cheap. The CNG version of the WagonR is expected to cost Rs 70,000 more than the petrol fueled version.
CNG variants of the other cars will follow afterwards.
Source: Business-Standard
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