Maruti Suzuki has speculatively shelved plans to launch a BSVI compliant 1.5-litre diesel engine due to ever-rising fuel price
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) has reportedly shelved the plans to bring in a BSVI compliant 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel engine into the domestic market and it was said to be employed in a host of utility vehicles within the brand’s portfolio. The Indo-Japanese manufacturer likely has five new UVs lined up for debut over the next couple of years.
They include India-made Jimny off-roader and new generation Vitara Brezza. The decision to abandon the plans for a BSVI oil-burner was made by Suzuki Motor Corporation and investment issues were pointed out as the main reason. In addition, the rising diesel prices and the shift towards cleaner fuels and the eventual transition towards electrification are other odds.
In the Financial Year 2021, the diesel prices have gone up by a whopping Rs. 18.58 per litre – from Rs. 62.29 on April 2020 to Rs. 80.87 per litre on March 31, 2021, with a staggering growth of close to 30 per cent in New Delhi. In recent months, the gap between petrol and diesel fuels have come down by a big margin and there is very little to separate them in terms of pricing.
The diesel engine equipped passenger cars do offer better fuel economy than that of similarly specced petrol mill but the maintenance cost and the cost of buying a diesel car in the first place nearly compromises the advantages in most part. Thus, we have seen increased spike in petrol vehicle sales across different segments including the SUV spaces.
Previous speculations suggest that the 1.5-litre diesel motor will be employed on XL6, Vitara Brezza, Ciaz and Ertiga but it does not appear to be the case anymore as MSIL looks to be concentrating on launching more S-CNG variants for improved fuel economy and cleaner emissions. Maruti Suzuki could bring in electric and hybrid vehicles by the middle of this decade.
The largest carmaker in the country is gearing up to introduce the second generation Celerio in the coming months and it will have a comprehensively redesigned exterior and interior.