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-   -   Hyundai India to launch CNG Santro (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/22590-hyundai-india-launch-cng-santro.html)

Hyundai Motor India (HMIL) today announced plans to roll out a CNG version of its bread-and-butter hatchback Santro by the end of 2007 or early 2008.

The car, with a factory-fitted CNG kit and the option of a second fuel (petrol), would be manufactured at the company's existing plant here, H S Lheem, managing director, HMIL, told reporters at the Chennai Port today after flagging-off the first shipment of Getz Prime to the European market.

Maruti Udyog had, last year, introduced the WagonR duo, which could run on both LPG as well as petrol.

The CNG version of Santro would be a bi-fuel car, Lheem said, adding that a new small car was also on the anvil from HMIL in the last quarter of this year.

On exports of Getz Prime, he said this is the third car after Santro (Atoz Prime) and Accent to be exported from India to the European market. Getz Prime, 4,000 units of which were shipped to Germany today, would soon be launched in India too, he added.

HMIL expects to ship 40,000 units of the car in the current fiscal, and increase the exports to 1,00,000 units by 2008.

He also said Hyundai would invest an additional Rs 4,000 crore in India by 2010. The current level of investment of the Korean car major was about Rs 3,500 crore, a company official said.

Story : BS Online News

Whats taking them 1.5 years to release an alternate fuel version? The spaceage technology required to manufacture LPG kits?

I think they are getting inspired by Fiat ( delaying the things ).
Now when are they going to launch Santro Diesel ... 2009 :Frustrati

1.5 years from the time the Wagon R Duo was rolled out? Technology may have something to do with the delay, but equally likely that Hyundai was evaluating the market and the response to the Wagon R Duo. Maybe strategic too; Hyundai may not want its existing models undercut this year.

It would be interesting to see the pricing on this Satro, let's see if they have strategized to eat up the Wagon-R duo market... Hyundai has always read the market well as far as the small cars are concerned.

Why should they want to wait s00oo00oo long to introduce a CNG/LPG version ??? It's not a mission critical job....:Frustrati

The CNG/LPG cars have already proved their mettle on the Indian roads !!!

Well, the good thing is that its here. And the competitive hatch just got even more so. Despite its decade plus age, the Santro is undoubtedly one of the best hatches in its segment.

What is taking so long for them to introduce the CNG version?
GM(with Optra) and TATA (with Xeta) already done that without any fuss.

Add Ford ( Flair ) to it ..

With CNG not commonly available in the South, these may be aimed more at the northern regions.

I personally do not see the attraction of CNG/LPG cars. But Hyundai must have done their math, there must be a market, and now they are moving to have a presence.

@SuperSyn : If u think there's no sway towards LPG, you are definitely missing out on something. Maruti wouldnt have launched the Duo if they thought there was no market it catered to. Also, the various other manufacturers who have launched alternative fuel vehicles too have been listed above. With the way the fuel prices are going, people are looking at all means to reduce running costs.

Wagon R duo is a huge hit and has waiting period of 1 month. Also its eco friendly with less pollution.

I was excited about the talk of a CNG Santro launch sometime soon.

However, there has been no reliable source of information on the plans to launch it (if any) and the dates. Recently when HMIL MD was in Chennai for the Getz launch, there was a talk of the CNG santro ( from what I have read in the media ). The dates mentioned were as early as two months from now ( Hyundai Motor to launch Santro's CNG version ) and as late as early 2008( Santro CNG version by 2008)

These are two very contrasting timelines.

I wrote to the PR email Id mentioned on HML website and they gave me a one liner --
----------------------
Hi Aditya,

Our MD mentioned the timeline of about 2-3 months from now.

Regards
Naina
--------------------------------------

Anyone has any updates on this ?

I wonder what logic drove them to CNG as opposed to LPG that the WagonR is using.