For long, Compressed Natural Gas of CNG-powered cars have been off the radar for private car buyers. But with petrol prices rising the way they are and vehicle running costs putting a strain on household budgets, CNG is once again coming to the fore as a viable option for buyers. Sure, CNG-dispensing infrastructure is not as widespread as that for petrol and diesel, and you do have to live with the compromise of lesser power but there’s no denying how much cheaper CNG is to petrol and diesel. Here’s a list of the CNG-equipped cars currently on sale in India.
All prices mentioned are ex-showroom, Delhi
1. Tata Nano EMax XM CNG – Rs 2.96 lakh
The Nano eMax is the most affordable car in India with a factory-fit CNG kit. The little Tata comes with a 12-litre CNG tank. Factor in a claimed efficiency of 36km per kg of CNG and the Nano promises a CNG-only range of upwards of 400km. Do note, the Nano eMax is only available at select dealers with stock.
2. Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 LXI CNG – Rs 3.73 lakh
The Alto 800 is the smallest offering in Maruti’s lineup. It’s powered by a 796cc, 3 cylinder petrol engine which puts out 40hp of power and 60Nm of torque when run on CNG and is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The Alto 800 has a claimed fuel economy of 33.44km/kg.
3. Maruti Suzuki Eeco STD 5 Seater CNG – Rs 4.04 lakh
The Maruti Suzuki Eeco comes mated to a 1.2-litre engine that delivers 73hp when run on petrol and a lower 64hp on CNG. The Eeco delivers 21.8 km/kg in its CNG guise. While there are few comfort features to speak of, the Eeco does make for a people carrier that can also double as a load lugger.
4. Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 LXI (O) CNG – Rs 4.16 lakh
The Alto K10 is powered by Maruti’s 1.0-litre K-series engine and comes with the option of a factory-fitted CNG kit with i-GPI technology on the LXI (O) variant. In CNG guise, the K10’s engine makes 58hp and 78Nm and delivers a claimed 32.36km/kg fuel efficiency.
5. Maruti Suzuki WagonR LXI CNG – Rs 4.69 lakh
The WagonR is powered by the 1.0-litre K-series petrol engine that does the duty in the Alto K10 and puts out the same figures of 58hp and 78Nm when fueled by CNG. The LXI variant of the hatchback comes with an option of a factory-fitted CNG kit. As is the case with all Maruti CNG cars, the WagonR comes with i-GPI technology which helps in delivering a claimed fuel economy of 26.6km/kg.
6. Maruti Suzuki Celerio VXI CNG – Rs 5.16 lakh
Maruti’s Celerio Green comes equipped with a CNG kit with the ‘Intelligent-Gas Port Injection’ technology from factory. The Celerio Green comes with the same 1.0-litre K-series powerplant as the petrol but churns out 58hp and 78Nm, approximately 10 hp and 12Nm less than the petrol-powered version. Maruti claims the Celerio Green will do 31.76km/ kg.
7. Santro Magna CNG – Rs 5.23 lakh
The much anticipated new Santro is available with the option of a factory-fitted CNG kit. The 1.1-litre petrol motor produces 59hp and 84Nm when run on CNG. The Hyundai is available in two mid-spec variants with the higher Sportz trim getting segment first features like a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility and rear AC vents.
8. Maruti Suzuki Ertiga VXI CNG – Rs 8.27 lakh
Available in the mid-spec VXI trim, the Ertiga CNG has a claimed mileage of 22.80km/kg. Its 1.4-litre engine churns out 80hp of power and 112Nm of torque when fueled by CNG. The current Ertiga is in the process of being phased out by Maruti as the launch of the updated version of the MPV is set for November 2018
Hyundai Grand i10 CNG
The Grand i10 can be had with a factory-fitted CNG kit for Rs 68,000 over the base ex-showroom price of the Asta trim level. The addition of the kit now keeps the warranty of the car intact unlike earlier models. It draws power from a detuned version of the 1.2-litre Kappa 2 petrol engine seen on the standard car.
Hyundai Xcent CNG
Along with the Hyundai Grand i10, Hyundai also offers the Xcent compact sedan with a CNG option. As with the Grand i10, the Xcent CNG too costs an additional Rs 68,000 over the ex-showroom price. The car uses the same detuned 1.2-litre Kappa 2 petrol motor as its hatchback sibling.
Maruti Eeco Green CNG
Another Maruti on the list, the Eeco CNG, badged the Eco Green is available with an option of five or seven seats and is priced at Rs 3.83 lakh and Rs 4.19 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) respectively. The Eeco is the only people mover on the list that comes with a factory-fitted CNG kit.
Tata Nano CNG
The Nano CNG is based on the older generation Nano and is powered by the same 624cc engine paired to a four-speed gearbox. Priced at Rs 2.33 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), it is the most affordable CNG car in the market.
Honda Amaze CNG
Honda offers the Amaze with a factory-fitted CNG kit on the 1.2 S MT Plus variant. The kit and its installation will cost an extra Rs 54,315 over the ex-showroom price of the variant which is priced at Rs 6.07 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), meaning that final ex-showroom price for the model is Rs 6.61 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).
The above list includes only those models that are offered with a factory-fitted CNG kit. However, it must be noted that many dealers also offer the CNG option as an add-on on models not listed above.