HYUNDAI EON LPG VARIANT ON THE CARDS: HIGH TIME MARUTI LAUNCHES AN ALTO LPG?
It is just a matter of time before Hyundai India unveils the LPG variant of the Hyundai Eon small car, whcih was launched earlier today. We’re quite certain about this as test mules of the Hyundai Eon LPG are already doing the rounds in and around Chennai. Petrol prices are at stratospheric levels even as the price of LPG is still significantly lower when compared to petrol. As such, many small car owners are going in for after market LPG kits for their cars even though doing so will void their warranty as LPG as a fuel is much more corrosive than petrol. A factory fitted LPG kit however is a lot more different.
Developed and tested by the automaker, factory fitted LPG kits ensure extra lubrication of critical engine parts and also use tougher engine material to withstand the corroding effects of LPG. So, many prospective small car buyers prefer to buy cars fitted with LPG kits at its manufacturing end itself, with LPG as a dual fuel option along with petrol. At the press conference after the launch, Arvind Saxena, Director of Sales and Marketing at Hyundai India, clearly mentioned that Hyundai India is targeting a sales volume of 1.4 to 1.5 Lakhs Hyundai Eons every month year.
At that projected number, the Hyundai Eon has all the potential to eat into some fraction of the Maruti Alto’s sales. An LPG variant of the Eon will only cause additional headache for Maruti. Taking into consideration all these factors, the time looks ripe for Maruti to launch an LPG dual fuel variant of the Alto, which has been one variant that India’s largest car maker does not have in its portfolio despite the Alto being the largest selling car in India. What it does have however is a CNG engined variant of the 796cc F8D Alto, although availability of CNG fuel remains quite limited in India.
Hence, the argument for an LPG powered Alto gets stronger. On whether Maruti Suzuki will respond quickly to maintain its leadership status in the Indian car market is something that only time will tell. For now, the competitively priced Hyundai Eon, with its exciting range of features, an attractive and contemporary form factor, superb interiors, a frugal petrol engine and last but not the least, Hyundai’s well established sales and after sales service, has all the trappings of giving the Maruti Alto’s top end variants a run for their money.
