The BS-VI Maruti Ertiga diesel has been spied on test again. This time, it's the taxi variant (BS-VI Maruti Tour M diesel) that has been snapped. Apparently, Maruti Suzuki doesn't plan to permanently stop selling diesel vehicles.
Maruti Suzuki recently pulled the plugs on the D13A 1.3L and E15A 1.5L diesel engines. The next big step for the company would be introducing the BS-VI compliant 1.5-litre diesel engine sometime in 2021. The company may offer the cleaner but more expensive diesel engine first in the taxi segment and later in the passenger vehicles when the pricing works out.
Apart from that, India's leading automaker has been putting a lot of stress on CNG vehicles since it believes these vehicles are supposed to make up for the sales falling because of the discontinuation of the BS-IV diesel models. The lower cost of CNG technology is thought to make it an ideal option even after the company is actually ready with a BS-VI diesel engine.
If you recall, Maruti Suzuki launched the BS-VI CNG version of WagonR at INR 5.25 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) earlier this month. The company says that this is a part of its ‘Mission Green Million’ as it aims to sell one million CNG vehicles within the next few years. Also, the company showcased the CNG version of the S-Presso at Auto Expo 2020 and plans to launch it soon.
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Expect Maruti Suzuki to start rolling out BS-VI compliant diesel cars next year. Following the Tour M commercial vehicle, the Ertiga and S-Cross passenger vehicles could be the next recipients of the BS-VI E15A diesel engine.
[Image Source: GaadiWaadi]
