Hybrid vehicles set to hit Indian roads next year.
Both Honda Siel Cars India and homegrown Mahindra & Mahindra have indicated that they will make their hybrid vehicles commercial by next year. Other auto makers, such as Toyota and Ford, are also exploring the market for hybrid vehicles in the country. Hybrid vehicles run on electricity and another fuel, which could be petrol, diesel or bio-fuel. The car owner has the option to drive the car using either electricity or petrol and can easily switch from one to another. These vehicles help reduce emissions by generating power from an electric motor, burning less fuel for each mile travelled. M&M’s senior vice-president (product development), automotive sector, Arun Jaura told ET: “As I talk to you, we are test-piloting Scorpio’s mild-hybrid variant and full-hybrid variant. We plan to launch them early next year.” Mr Jaura added that both variants would be priced higher than the current Scorpio petrol and diesel models. The full-hybrid Scorpio will run on electricity and petrol. In the mild-hybrid version, a conventional Scorpio’s engine will have the option of being turned off whenever the car is braking or stopped yet restart quickly and cleanly. When the engine is off, accessories can run on electrical power. Honda Siel Cars India will also launch its premium offering Civic in its hybrid avatar next year. ”We have plans to launch the Civic hybrid in India by next year. The cars would initially be imported as completely built units (CBU),” said Jnaneshwar Sen, senior Gm (marketing), Honda Siel Cars India.
Honda Civic hybrid would run on electricity-petrol combine. Toyota, which is known for making one of the most successful hybrid cars Prius, is keen on bringing it in India. However, Toyota India officials believe it can happen only if the government is ready to provide subsidies to hybrid vehicle makers. American auto maker Ford India, too, is monitoring the market and globally has the technology ready for such products. Arvind Mathew, managing director, Ford India says: “We will continue to monitor market demand in India before we launch any hybrid product.” The Society of Automobile Manufacturers Association India (SIAM), on its part, has told the government that to gradually increase the use of such vehicles, the price has to come down significantly. For that, support from the government by way of reduced taxes/duties on CNG/LPG/Hybrid vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles and components is needed. Auto makers believe the government should provide manufacturing support to players for hybrid vehicles and also extend some tax sops if hybrids are imported as CBUs.
The government is also expected to extend infrastructure support, such as providing consumers with enough CNG, LPG, clean fuels and electric charging stations. “In several countries, hybrid car owners are offered exemptions when they file income-tax. Such tax breaks to consumers will provide them with incentives to buy hybrid cars,”adds Mr Jaura.
