Maruti Suzuki plans to steer focus from diesel engine cars

Maruti Suzuiki India Pvt Ltd is aiming to focus majorly on petrol engines and futuristic Hybrid, Electric technologies. Recently, it is was reported that the car manufacturer is planning to shut down its dedicated engine manufacturing facility in Gurgaon. Suzuki Motor Corp. might convert the diesel engine line in Gurgaon plant to produce petrol engines or add an assembly line for petrol engines at Manesar plant. Experts says, the decision is taken after major reduction in demand for diesel cars. But, the company is not planning to discontinue the production of diesel engine vehicles anytime soon.

Maruti Suzuki is shifting its focus to produce alternative-fuel powered cars, ahead of the strict BSVI emission norms which will be effective from April 2020. The new emission norms will be a costlier affair in manufacturing of diesel engines.

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Maruti Suzuki chairman R.C. Bhargava recently said that the company planned to stop manufacturing Bharat Stage (BS)-IV compliant cars by the end of 2019. The Supreme Court has barred the sale of Bharat Stage IV vehicles from April 1, 2020 when the BS-VI emission norms would come into force. Bhargava observed that the sale of BS-VI compliant diesel vehicles might take a hit as their prices would be significantly higher than BS-VI petrol models. 

Maruti is looking to sport its in-house developed 1.5-litre diesel engine in most of its diesel cars by 2020. It is also planning to stop producing its 1.3-litre diesel engines and replacing it with 1.5-litre diesel engines. Currently, the 1.3-litre engines boast some highest selling models of Maruti including Baleno, Vitara Brezza and Ertiga.

The diesel assembly line in Gurgaon has a capacity of producing around 170,000 engines per annum. Apart from this, it also produce an in-house developed 800cc diesel engines which is used for Maruti’s Super Carry light truck.

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Maruti’s Super Carry truck uses the 2-cylinder, 800cc motor which debuted on the Maruti Suzuki Celerio and is built in-house.