As India is moving towards an electric/green future many carmakers are looking to offer electric cars or CNG cars to the masses. Though Tata already has EVs such as Nexon on offer, it is looking to enter the CNG market. Tata had initially planned to launch the CNG cars in November of 2021 but due to the shortage of semiconductor chips, the plan was delayed. The shortage of chips also resulted in delayed deliveries of Tata cars. Rumors have it that Tata Motors is looking to launch the Tata Tiago CNG by January 2022. In a recent interview with IANS, Shailesh Chandra, President of the Tata Motors Passenger Vehicle section, confirmed that the carmaker will equip select models with factory-fitted CNG kits by FY 2021-2022.
What to expect?
The Tata Tiago CNG was recently spotted testing with any camouflage. The CNG model looks exactly the same as the petrol counterpart. As seen in the spy pictures, the test mule appears to be a mid-variant that can be seen donning a red paint scheme, which is already available on the petrol counterpart. Additionally, the vehicle is seen wearing a CNG sticker on the front and rear windscreens, confirming it’s a CNG variant of the Tiago. It might also get new multi-spoke alloy wheels, similar to what we saw in the previous spy shots. The company is expected to price the Tiago CNG similar to its petrol-powered sibling.
Although there is no word regarding which Tata cars will benefit from CNG, it is being assumed that the Tiago, Tigor, and the Altroz will receive the CNG treatment. All three models use the same 86PS/113Nm 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine. However, with the CNG variant, power figures will drop slightly while fuel efficiency is likely to be around 30 km/kg. A 5-speed manual will be the only transmission on offer. When launched, Tata Tiago CNG will be a rival to the likes of Hyundai Santro CNG, Hyundai i10 Grand CNG, Maruti Suzuki WagonR CNG, Maruti Suzuki WagonR CNG, and the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Celerio CNG. And as for Tigor CNG, it will lock horns with Hyundai Aura CNG and the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Dzire CNG.
Official statement
Shailesh Chandra, President of the Tata Motors Passenger Vehicle section said,” Currently, we have a comprehensive PV portfolio with ICE and EV options for customers to choose from. Our customers also have the option to get the CNG kits fitted at the dealerships. In FY22, our customers will also get a factory-fitted CNG option for some of our models.”
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