On a green drive

April 22 is Earth Day. Simply observing it isn't enough. Be a part of the green movement by going in for an environment-friendly vehicle.

Over the years, we have experienced how unpredictable the climate has become. Summers are hotter, when it rains — it pours, and winters are, to put it mildly, bizarre.

Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, water vapour, and methane — trap the sun's heat and light in the earth's atmosphere, causing temperatures to soar. There are other contributors to this damage but we'd have to admit, albeit grudgingly that automobiles are to blame too, despite their unquestionable utility value and the fact that we can't live without them. So what's the solution?

Well, governments, automobile manufacturers and researchers are already striving to make our vehicles green. Air pollution legislations are getting stringent, there is an increased focus on green fuels and green cars, and the idea of cars that emit water as the only emission does not appear far-fetched now. Manufacturers are also working to produce cars in the most energy efficient manner possible.

As motorists, we need to get our act together and be part of the solution. The time is ripe for a green revolution on wheels. If you're looking to buy a green car, we've compiled a list of cars to make that decision easier. You'd be surprised by the many green car options. We have omitted a few since it runs too long.

April 22 is Earth Day. Simply observing it isn't enough anymore. It's time for action.

Hyundai i10 CNG

Hyundai wants to make its i10 appeal to as many buyers as possible, eco-conscious customers being part of that list. Little wonder why a CNG kit is offered as an option on the car. The CNG kit adds Rs. 55,000 to the price of the petrol model that starts at Rs. 3.54 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Buyers will like its city-friendly dimensions and cheerful interiors. Good fuel economy in petrol mode and low running costs in CNG mode make the i10 CNG an excellent eco-friendly buy.

Maruti Suzuki Alto Green

The Alto Green is the CNG variant of the hugely successful Alto. The hatchback features Maruti's intelligent-Gas Port injection (i-GPi) technology that promises more power and better fuel efficiency than retro-fitted CNG kits. The Alto Green is powered by a 796cc engine that produces 38.8bhp in CNG mode. Extremely low running costs make this a great buy for those on a tight budget. The Alto Green is available from Rs. 2.78 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Toyota Innova CNG

Toyota's ever-popular Innova can now be had with a CNG kit. Offered as an optional on the 2-litre petrol eight-seater model, the CNG kit adds Rs. 1 lakh to the base price of Rs. 8.95 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The 12kg CNG cylinder tank is housed behind the third row seats and this limits luggage space. However, if a large, good quality and inexpensive-to-run people-carrier is what you need, the Innova CNG is the answer. At present, the Innova CNG is only available in Mumbai and Delhi-NCR region.

Chevrolet Beat LPG

Here's one way to beat rising petrol prices. Chevrolet has recently launched the LPG version of the Beat hatchback. Powered by a 1.2-litre Smartech engine, the Beat LPG comes with a 28-litre LPG cylinder in addition to its 35-litre petrol tank. Chevrolet claims this Beat can cover 349km on one tank of LPG, and with combined fuel usage, it can stretch its legs till 1,000km. Prices start at Rs. 4.11 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Tata Indica eV2 LPG

Tata Motors has recently updated the Indica hatchback, now called the Indica eV2. Mild exterior and interior tweaks have revamped this decade-old car. The Indica continues to sell with an LPG option. Power is courtesy a 1.2-litre engine that develops 61.8bhp. The Indica eV2 LPG is a high-value product being big on space and low on price. It sells for Rs. 3.3 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Mahindra Scorpio micro hybrid

Mahindra's flagship SUV has made it to our green list thanks to its innovative Start/Stop technology. The engine cuts off when the car is idling. Sadly, this switches the AC off as well, leaving only the blower on. A handy switch de-activates the system for those hot summer days. Big and green, the Scorpio Hybrid is available Rs. 10.36 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) and upwards.

Toyota Prius

The Prius is that dollop of salad you take onto the plate after gorging on all those fried starters. Arguably the world's most famous hybrid, the Prius might just be that evolutionary pivot Darwin was harping about. Its electric motor works at crawling speeds and keeps emissions to a minimum. And 136bhp from its petrol engine means it is not found wanting for power. An ideal green car. Pity it costs an exorbitant Rs. 27 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Mahindra REVA i

The Mahindra REVA i is the sole electric vehicle sold in India. Zero emissions make it the greenest car here. While the styling may not appeal to all, it can be called cute. The i comes with a lead acid battery which the company claims gives it a range of 80km per charge. A simple wall socket is needed to juice up the battery that takes 2.5 hours for an 85 per cent charge with a full charge taking eight hours. Pricing starts at Rs. 2.85 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). It's worth noting that the all-new Reva NXR and NXG cars with more powerful batteries are being readied for launch.

Aston Martin Arrives in India

Aston Martin joins Ferrari S.p.A, Maserati S.p.A and Volkswagen AG's Bugatti and Lamborghini units in India with the U.K.-based company Friday launching three models for the country's sports car enthusiasts.

"India represents a new opportunity for us," said Michael van der Sande, chief commercial officer at Aston Martin.

The company will sell the V8 Vantage, priced at 15.50 million rupees, the Rapide at 21.5 million rupees and the One-77 for 200 million rupees in Asia's third-largest economy that has already prompted Daimler AG, BMW AG, Audi AG, Bentley and Jaguar to introduce luxury cars for India's rising number of millionaires and billionaires.

"A decision to bring the Aston Martin brand to India is driven by a strong level of interest and enthusiasm from potential customers in an emerging luxury market."

Aston Martin on Friday starts a dealership in Mumbai and will open a second dealership in New Delhi by the end of May.

Expanding sales in India and China have provided global auto makers new market opportunities with business in Europe and the U.S.--their primary markets--stagnating.

Aston Martin was in 2007 sold to Kuwait's Investment Dar Co. K.S.C. and Adeem Investment by its erstwhile owner Ford Motor Co.

Hyundai to Introduce New Models in India

Hyundai Motor Co. will introduce two new vehicles in India each year until 2014 in a bid to retain its position as the second-largest car maker in Asia's third-biggest automotive market amid stiff competition from recent entrants Volkswagen AG, Nissan Motor Co. and others.

"We will have new products in all segments," Arvind Saxena, director of sales and marketing at Hyundai Motor India Ltd., told Dow Jones Newswires in a recent interview. "New products play a vital role in boosting sales."

Hyundai will soon start selling an upgraded version of its mid-sized sedan Verna as part of this product introduction plan, he added.

The company also makes small cars Santro, i10 and i20 and sedans Accent and Sonata at its factory near the southern port city of Chennai and imports and markets the Santa Fe sport-utility vehicle.

Global auto makers are queueing up to take advantage of the robust Indian economy and rising personal incomes that have helped boost demand for new two-wheelers, cars and sport-utility vehicles.

Volkswagen, Ford Motor Co., Nissan Motor, Renault SA, Toyota Motor Corp. and others have either introduced small cars or plan to do so in the near future to cater to the record-growing demand.

New car local sales jumped 30% in the financial year ended March 31--the fastest in more than a decade--to 1.98 million vehicles.

But newer entrants are challenging the dominance of older, more established auto makers including that of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. and Hyundai. The two have already lost some market share in the past year because of increased competition.

"Going forward, we are confident that we would retain our market share. New models will help us in doing so," Mr. Saxena said.

Market share of the local unit of Suzuki Motor Corp in India fell to 48.7% in the year through March from 50.1% a year earlier, while Hyundai's share stood at 18.1% from the 20.6% it held a year earlier, according to data from industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

Hyundai Motor India aims to sell at least 400,000 cars and SUVs locally in 2011, up 12% from last year's 356,717 vehicles. Still, the sales growth will be nearly half of last year's 23% rise as increasing interest costs and rising prices of raw materials such as steel, aluminum and natural rubber will likely dent demand, Mr. Saxena said.

"There would be a moderation in the whole industry. We will also grow at a similar pace," he said.

Hyundai Motor India plans to raise prices of all its vehicle models between 1% and 1.5% by Saturday due to higher commodity prices, Mr. Saxena said, marking the company's second price since January due to higher input costs.

Hyundai follows Maruti, Tata Motors Ltd., Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd., Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd. and others that have all raised prices twice in 2011.

Also, exports of Hyundai--India's largest vehicle exporter--are expected to fall 11% in 2011 to 220,000 vehicles owing to weak demand for small cars in Europe.

The auto maker sells 'made-in-India' small cars to 118 countries globally and its i10 small car is made exclusively in India for the global market.