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2020 Auto Expo: Maruti Suzuki’s focus to be on green vehicles

Spread over 4,000 sqm, the Maruti Suzuki pavilion will house a studio for the first time, which will help to create a real-time digital connect with viewers online.

2020 Auto Expo: Nearly 100 new vehicle expected to unveil, know Where to buy tickets & how to reach venue
2020 Auto Expo: Nearly 100 new vehicle expected to unveil, know Where to buy tickets & how to reach venue
Image: Auto Expo 2018

Maruti Suzuki will have on display a range of green vehicles, including electric, CNG and hybrid cars at the upcoming Auto Expo, alongwith new design for the future utility vehicles. This is for the first time the country’s largest car maker will showcase the biggest range of eco-friendly cars even as their demand remains low.

Spread over 4,000 sqm, the Maruti Suzuki pavilion will house a studio for the first time, which will help to create a real-time digital connect with viewers online. The viewers will be able to witness the various discussions conducted at the venue over the week-long expo.

Apart from showcasing its electric car Futuro-e and an updated version of compact SUV Vitara Brezza, Maruti will display a range of 17 vehicles at the expo including Swift Hybrid (Japan model), Celerio, S-Presso, WagonR, Dzire, Baleno and Ciaz. The entire pavilion will be digital and paperless, the company said in a statement.

Kenichi Ayukawa, managing director and CEO at Maruti Suzuki India, said the theme of ‘mission green million’, at the Auto Expo is to introduce newer, greener and customer friendly technologies. “Having successfully introduced key technologies such as auto gear shift, smartplay, smart hybrid, and s-CNG, we are committed to accelerate our efforts to bring new technologies,” Ayukawa said.

Maruti had last year rolled back the plan to commercially launch the electric WagonR in 2020 citing lack of charging infrastructure and government support. Even as the company will showcase the Futuro-e car, sources in the know said it is unlikely the car will be launched before 2021. Maruti is still testing around 50 electric WagonR on the roads to ascertain the changes required in order to commericially launch it.

Among others, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and Toyota will be displaying a range of electric cars at the expo. This would be the first time when over a dozen electric cars will be on display at the Auto Expo. Electric vehicles account for less than 0.5% of the total vehicles sold annually, as lack of charging stations, high prices and poor range fail to attract buyers. Moreover, government’s subsidy scheme (FAME) does not include those for personal buyers. Data shared by the society of manufacturers of electric vehicles (SMEV) shows, only 3,600 electric cars were sold in FY19 against a total of 31.6 lakh cars sold during the fiscal.

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First published on: 30-01-2020 at 07:58 IST
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