Biodiesel Fuels Mandatory For All Cars In India

The new biofuel policy was announced this month which makes blending of 10 percent bio-fuel with petrol mandatory from the year 2012. It will be hiked to blending of 17 percent from the year 2017. All the major auto companies have taken a note of the same and have started to design new plans for their future launches that will run in alternative fuels.

Car companies in India are either planning to launch new variants or make changes to their existing models. Tata Motors, Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki are planning to launch variant of their existing models while General Motors and Nissan are planning to bring this technology from their existing markets. This technology is applicable only on E10 and E20 engines which has left several car manufacturers wondering about the possible solution for their models. Presently, only Honda and General Motors have E10 compliant cars and General Motors is planning to introduce models with E20 engines as well. Such a move may further increase the car model prices in India.

On the other hand, Maruti is also planning to launch E10 compatible models by the end of current calendar year. “Our present lot is E5 compatible but we are confident of offering E10 to the market soon, since this requires minor changes in the engine,” said the official.

Maruti to Bring CNG Variants of its Cars in India

Maruti Suzuki is planning to launch CNG variants of its cars in India. “Alternative fuel technology is the future. We will be looking at CNG variants of our vehicles,” said MM Singh, managing executive officer (production), Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, on the sidelines of the CII 7th Manufacturing Summit 2008.

Rising fuel costs have forced every car maker to launch alternative fuel option cars in the market. There has been a surge in demand for such model in markets like India which are extremely price sensitive. “With prices of oil and other commodities rising, the chances of them reverting to their lower prices are improbable. Small cars are the future. Here’s an opportunity for Suzuki Motor Corporation to leverage its expertise in manufacturing smaller cars economically,” said RC Bhargava, Chairman of Maruti Suzuki, addressing the shareholders at company’s 27th AGM.

Maruti is also ready to launch its next generation model – Maruti A Star in mid-November. It will launch in India subsequently followed by a launch in European market. The new A-Star is Euro V complaint and will be powered by the next gen K series engine. It will enable Suzuki to re-enter the European market with a new vigour.

Tata Motors unveils electric versions of Indica and Ace

Domestic auto major Tata Motors on Wednesday unveiled the electric versions of passenger car 'Indica' and commercial vehicle 'Ace'.

The company has indicated that the electric Indica would be launched locally in about two years, without disclosing the price. The vehicle would be launched in Norway next year.

Tata Motor's President Ravi Kant told reporters that Norway has the necessary infrastructure in place to run electric cars.

The vehicles run on lithium batteries that were co developed by a Norwegian alternative fuel company and Tata Motor's research facility in the UK.

After the wikipedia, get ready for the wikicar now

TAKING a page out of the Wikipedia, a Finnish Internet community, eCars- Now!, is seeking to apply the collective approach taken by online collaborators like the authors of Wikipedia, to start converting used petrol-fuelled cars to electric ones, with the first roll- out due this year.

The Finnish- language forum claims to be first of its kind in the world, and wants to provide an alternative to what its members perceive as foot-dragging in the oil and auto industries. It is working in the tradition of ‘ open source’ projects laid down by information technology. “ If we succeed it will create similar projects across the world with whom we can share what we know,” said project participant Jukka Jarvinen, adding that a similar scheme was being launched in Denmark. “We’re hoping to create a global movement,” he said.

Electric cars have struggled to shake off a quirky image with tiny sales of often fantastical vehicles at prohibitive prices, or economy- sized golf carts with limited range. But because they are charged from the power grid and make more efficient use of energy, they produce fewer emissions and are seen as a promising clean- air alternative to petrol powered vehicles.

When it comes to promises, auto- makers are keen to capitalise on mounting consumer concern about high gasoline prices which are prompting trade- ins of gas- guzzling SUVs. But the Finnish group offers an outlet for fans who have so far been disappointed by the car industry. Some experts say it will still take 5-10 years for alternatives to petrol-fuelled cars to take root, given the capacity challenge for an auto industry that is adding 65 million new cars a year to a fleet of 1 billion.

The group is starting small. It has identified demand for more than 500 electric conversions in Finland and its website aims to begin introducing potential buyers to sellers of suitable used cars and components, and mechanics who can make the conversion with an electric motor and lithium batteries. Its first conversion model will be a Toyota Corolla which it says would have a range of 150 kilometres per charge and a top speed of 120 km/h.

Hyundai comes out with CNG variant of Accent

THE country’s second largest car- maker Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) on Monday introduced the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) variant of its mid- size sedan Accent, which will cost Rs 56,500 more than the existing version. The new Accent would be available in dual fuel mode - petrol and CNG, the company said in a statement.

The current petrol version is available for Rs 4.99 lakh (ex- showroom). The dual fuel Accent will use CNG as an alternative fuel. The Accent comes with a1.5 litre petrol engine which, without any modification is compatible with CNG, it added.

Hyundai Motor has tied up with the leading Korean CNG kit supplier CEV, who would provide all the components of the fitment. The kit is not only safe but its advanced Lambda control system ensures adherence to Euro III emission norms, it said.

Last year HMIL had introduced a CNG variant for its flagship model, Santro. It is currently planning to launch LPG variants across all categories, which would kick off with Santro in August. Initially, CNG Accent would be launched in Delhi and the NCR in collaboration with CEV India. “The Accent has been one of our best selling models ever since its launch. Offering it with a CNG kit will only add to its appeal as it will not only be cheaper to run but also eco-friendly,” HMIL managing director H. S. Lheem said.

Late last week, the country’s largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India Ltd launched an LPG variant of its once flagship model M800, priced between Rs 2.05 lakh and Rs 2.26 lakh (ex- showroom Delhi). The new model, M800 Duo, will have dual fuel option of petrol and LPG, the company said.