With the rise in fuel prices, people have been looking for alternatives to power their cars. The advent of electric cars has been rocky, and it is still miles away from being a popular alternative to fuel-powered vehicles. However, for almost 2 decades compressed natural gas or CNG has been a strong opponent of the fossil fuel industry.
CNG has been a popular choice, with many retrofitting CNG kits in their petrol cars. Nowadays, with manufacturers dropping small diesel engines, CNG has become a popular variant in many cars. Here we take a look at all the vehicles factory-fitted CNG kits available in India.
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The Maruti Suzuki Alto is the cheapest car with a factory-fitted CNG kit and comes in a single LXi (O) trim with a fuel efficiency of 31.59km/kg. It comes with a 60-litre CNG tank, dual airbags, reverse parking sensors, and ABS with EBD. Other features include a 7-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay along with dual tone interiors.
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The cheapest CNG-powered SUV — if you can call it that — is the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso. It has a fuel efficiency of 31.2km/kg and the 55-litre CNG tank kit is available on four trims.
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Tata’s only hatchback with a CNG kit, the Tiago iCNG offers dual modes — CNG and petrol — with both modes making different power outputs. It has a fuel efficiency of 26.49kg/km and has a 60-litre tank.
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The popular Maruti Suzuki WagonR also has two CNG variants. With a 60-litre CNG tank, the WagonR has a fuel efficiency of 34.05km/kg. Also, like most CNG cars, it also has different power outputs while on CNG and on petrol.
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Hyundai recently discontinued the Santro, making the Grand i10 Nios the smallest car it sells. Like most other cars on this list, it has two CNG variants and different power outputs on CNG and petrol modes. It also gets a 60-litre CNG tank with a fuel efficiency of 28.5km/kg.
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The recently launched Maruti Suzuki Celerio claims to be one of the most fuel efficiency cars in the Indian market. It retains the title of the most fuel efficient hatchback in the country even with the CNG kit, returning 35.6km/kg from its 60-litre CNG tank.
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Unlike the Tiago iCNG, the Tigor iCNG is offered in the top spec XZ and XZ+ trims. The compact sedan has the least fuel efficiency figures on this list, returning just 26.49km/kg.
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The other CNG-fitted Hyundai is the Aura compact sedan. It boasts of the largest CNG tank in this list, with a capacity of 65-litres. Like its hatchback sibling, the Aura returns a fuel efficiency figure of 28.5km/kg.
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Maruti Suzuki’s only compact sedan with a CNG-kit comes with the smallest CNG tank in this list, measuring just 55-litres. However, it does not have the least efficiency figures here, as it returns 31.12km/kg.
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The only “practical” vehicle in this list is the Maruti Suzuki Eeco MPV. It’s CNG variant is only offered with 5 seats as it gets a 60-litre CNG tank in the boot. However, the cheapest MPV here also has the worst fuel-efficiency figure as well, with only 20.88kg/km.
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Maruti Suzuki’s latest MPV — Ertiga — just got a facelift and is also the most expensive CNG car in the market. Its 60-litre CNG tank returns a mileage of 26.11km/kg.
[Featured Image Credit: Economic Times]
Satvik Khare