Making India Eco-Friendly with CNG Cars

The Indian automotive industry is poised to take a leap towards the future which is green and eco-friendly. With mass electrification still a while away, there remains but one option to reduce pollution. And that is CNG! India is one of the largest automobile markets in the world and Maruti Suzuki, India's biggest four-wheeler manufacturer, is determined to do its bit for cleaner mobility through its eco-friendly CNG cars.

Why the push towards CNG?

CNG or compressed natural gas is a great alternative for traditional fossil fuels, and can help reduce the fuel import bill of the country and benefit the overall economy. At the same time, CNG as a fuel is significantly cheaper than petrol and diesel; CNG cars are more fuel-efficient as well. With lower cost per kilometre and lower emissions, we think it's a win-win situation. Till the time mass electrification becomes a reality, CNG serves as the perfect replacement to traditional gasoline powered vehicles.

Do we have the required CNG infrastructure?

At present, there are about 30 lakh CNG cars running in India which include private and commercial vehicles. This represents just a fraction of the total number of vehicles plying on Indian roads. In fact, a report says that India could have up to one crore CNG vehicles by 2024-25, if additional 5,000 CNG filling stations are built. At present, that number is about 1700 +. So, there is a massive potential for CNG cars in India. Last year, Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said that by 2030, 10,000 CNG stations will be opened in India.

(Maruti Suzuki India has the largest range of CNG Cars in the country)

In September 2018, the Indian Ministry of Transport announced that electric vehicles and vehicles running on CNG will not require permits to ply on roads. These permits required by commercial vehicles of all kinds. This step also comes as an encouragement of using CNG vehicles for commercial purposes. Nomura Research Institute, which is a global consultancy firm, says that if India's plan of opening 10,000 CNG stations is on track, then by 2030, almost 50 per cent of new cars sold could be run on natural gas. This also means a massive savings of Rs. 11 lakh crore in crude oil imports by 2030. Talk about going green and its benefits to the economy!

Maruti Suzuki is taking the lead on this front

Now, the biggest question that remains - how do we make CNG cars popular? Well, Maruti Suzuki India Limited is at the forefront here! Not only does Maruti Suzuki India offer the top factory-fitted CNG cars in India, it also has the biggest range of CNG cars available in India.

Maruti Suzuki's S-CNG range of cars is equipped with Dual Interdependent ECUs and an intelligent injection system which deliver optimum performance along with enhanced drivability. The chassis suspension and the braking system too have been designed to work perfectly with the factory-fitted CNG setup. To ensure safety, the setup uses stainless steel CNG pipes with patented ferrule joints thus making it leak-proof. The wiring harness too has been well-integrated to eliminate any chances of short-circuits. And since these factory-fitted CNG cars are crash tested in a variety of conditions, both safety and long-term reliability are well taken care of.

In that sense, Maruti Suzuki's S-CNG cars are the benchmark when it comes to CNG cars. Till date, the carmaker has sold over 5 lakh CNG cars in India. With the country's clear CNG roadmap, Maruti Suzuki is leading this transition towards cleaner and greener mobility in India.

Data Source: Nomura Report: Transforming Mobility Through Natural Gas