Maruti Suzuki, India’s biggest carmaker, is all set to phase out vehicles that run completely on petrol in seven to 10 years in an earnest attempt to upgrade its product offerings and link with the Centre’s aim of cutting crude imports and emissions.
As per the auto major’s current plan, the entire portfolio change to hybrid, flex-fuel, bio-fuel and pure electric vehicles will happen over the next 7 to 10 years. Earlier, it had phased out the production of diesel vehicles ahead of the adoption of BS-VI emission standards in India in April 2020. The company has also said it will not launch an all-electric vehicle before 2025.
CV Raman, Maruti Suzuki India’s chief technology officer, told ET that the work has started on several eco-friendly technologies. “In the next decade, we will convert all vehicles. There will be no pure petrol vehicles. They will either be electrified, or driven by CNG or bio-fuels,” he added.
He went on add that all vehicles have to fulfil the corporate average fuel economy standards (CAFE) criteria in the 2022-23 fiscal year. Plus, BS-VI phase 2 has to be met for next year and the next stage of tightening of emission regulations will happen in 2027 and 2032.
At present, electric cars are far more expensive than conventional fuel vehicles. The full electrification in the segment is expected to take time. In electric cars, about 35,000-40,000 kms needed to be driven a year to get a payback at current prices. “Indian buyers drive an average of 10,000 km annually. Therefore, adoption of electric in four-wheelers is expected to happen in fleet first,” the business daily quoted him as saying.
Further, the biggest challenge is that more than 60 per cent of Indians park on-road and only 20-25 per cent have proper access to charging points.
The publication cited him as saying, “For EVs, base charging has to happen at home or office, infrastructure is needed to address range anxiety. Therefore, we need to look at infrastructure availability at home, office and other places in a holistic manner.”
Also, 70 per cent of the electricity generated in India is coal-based, EVs will prove to be of little significance in cutting pollution. Raman said: “The energy mix has to change, along with product strategy, to meet COP26 (targets on reducing emission).”
Meanwhile, at a media event last month, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said the prices of all EVs would be equivalent to the cost of petrol vehicles in the country within one year.
