Maruti Suzuki is expected to phase out the use of pure petrol engines from its line-up in the coming years. As per a report, the company is looking to transition to a line-up of hybrid, CNG and flex-fuel engines in the coming years with all-electric models also on the cards. The company is said to be readying its first all-electric mass market model for a 2025 debut. The move is said to help the company meet the tightening emissions regulations being put into place, the first of which will be the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy Norms that come into place this fiscal year. Newer regulations are expected to be introduced in 2027 and 2032.
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Speaking to the Economic Times, C.V. Raman, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Maruti Suzuki India said that the company planned to convert all vehicles to either electrified or running on CNG or bio-fuels over the course of the next decade. Raman also said that electric vehicles were being considered with initial inroads set to be made in the fleet markets owing to the higher usage of vehicles.
Maruti to offer flex-fuel, CNG and electrified powertrain in its line-up while phasing out the use of pure petrol engines
Raman cited usage patterns as a reason for considering EVs for the fleet market prior to private owners. He said that at current costs EVs would require higher running of between 35,000-40,000 km per month to get a payback with average private vehicle owners covering roughly 10,000 km per year.
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Additionally, he cited that India still lacked adequate infrastructure which leads to range anxiety in EV owners. He said that currently only 20-25% of the country had ready access to charging points – which needs to be improved - with majority of owners either charging their EVs at home or at work. Raman also said that India’s reliance primarily on coal as a source for electricity needed to change to meet the COP26 requirements.
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Maruti Suzuki is set to debut its first strong hybrid model in India - a compact SUV - in the coming months. The SUV, the sister model to Toyota’s recently revealed urban Cruiser Hyryder, is set to be manufactured by Toyota and like the Hyryder, will come with broth mild-hybrid and strong hybrid powertrain options.
Source: Economic Times
