Friday, 10 August 2007

Indian auto firms race to develop greener vehicles

MUMBAI: Indian vehicle makers are joining the global race to make less-polluting greener vehicles, teaming up with international firms and pouring money into research that could result in commercially viable technologies quickly.

Petrol and diesel are used overwhelmingly in passenger and commercial vehicles in India, with cleaner-burning compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) gaining in popularity but curtailed by their limited availability.

India is encouraging use of biofuels like ethanol, made from renewable resources, for greater energy security and emission reduction, but it is dragging its feet on legislation.

Still, firms from top vehicle maker Tata Motors Ltd. to tiny electric car maker Reva are testing options from biodiesel to hybrids, encouraged by growing demand.

"Our growth is a combination of greater consumer interest and stricter government regulations overseas," said Chetan Maini, deputy chairman at Reva Electric Car Co., which recently received $20 million in venture capital funding and is doubling output this year to 6,000 units, of which half will be exported.

Tata Motors is working with foreign firms on biodiesel and electric traction technology and with France's Motteur Development International on using compressed air as fuel.
Top utility vehicle maker Mahindra & Mahindra has a concept three-wheeler that uses compressed gaseous hydrogen, and is studying the feasibility of hydrogen internal combustion engines and fuel cells with Shell.

Indian energy firms, like their global peers Shell, BP and ExxonMobil, are speeding the move to biofuels. Indian Oil Corp. is partnering some auto makers, while Reliance Industries Ltd. is growing jatropha for biodiesel.

Jatropha, a tough shrub, can be grown on semi-arid land and is expected to play a major role in biofuel production in countries like India where most arable land is already being used to grow food.

With the domestic consumption growing higher and all indicators seem to show an even higher and sustainable growth in the future. With the growing need, increasing environmental awareness India definitely needs to focus on Greener vehicles. However the questions that remain are
  • How can government and other regulatory boards aid to faster development of green vehicles?
  • Starting way later than the global leaders like Toyota, DaimlerChrysler, Honda, General Motors - how can Indian companies still be competitive on development?
  • With the other race lead by TATA cars where there is a heavy push to develop a car for Rs 100,000 ( approx 2500 USD), thats where the volumes of future cars of India lie. Unless Indian companies develop cost effective green cars through high speed innovative engineering it is a huge challenge to enable the mass of the Indian car consumer to buy the "green car"?


Source: Economic times

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