Maruti Suzuki is one of the leading carmakers in India. The carmaker was the first one to offer a company-fitted CNG kit which started with Wagon R back in 2010 and needless to say, it went on to become an instant hit for the company. Maruti Suzuki is putting down the pedal and will be expanding their CNG profile with other cars such as Swift, Baleno, and Vitara Brezza. With the current fuel prices and the world adopting EVs for the future, CNG seems like a good compromise for now. It’s less pollutant and economical. Maruti Suzuki is eyeing to launch new cars with CNG-fitted kits into their fleet.
Official statement
Shashank Srivastava, executive director, sales and marketing, MSIL said “People are no longer worried about the loss of power, engine misfiring, or the car not being able to climb an incline on CNG,” said “Customers have given us the feedback to get CNG in the Vitara Brezza. Our market research also shows that customers are looking for CNG even in the Swift with a lot of customers asking for CNG even in the Baleno and Ciaz. We are examining it and then decide which all models to offer with CNG.”
He also added “While its best-selling CNG car continues to be the Wagon R, MSIL also offers CNG on the Alto, S-Presso, Ecco, Ertiga Tour S and Tour M taxis and Super Carry (commercial pickup). “We would add another three-four models in our portfolio equipped with CNG,” Srivastava said while speaking with Autocar Professional on the sidelines of the newly-launched Celerio’s media drive. “While I can’t specify the upcoming models, there is some development time and schedules, and we would definitely be coming with more CNG models,”
“We are only importing raw material from Italy or Japan, which forms the major chunk of the import content on the kit. Otherwise, the kit is majorly localized, including local manufacturing. Only some child parts for outsourced components are being brought in as imports by our suppliers,” said CV Raman, chief technology officer, Maruti Suzuki India.
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“While there is a composite technology available for the light-weighting of the CNG cylinder, it’s very expensive. Any development takes time and therefore, we are not looking at such an innovation immediately,” Raman added.