Reference Auto

Hyundai Motor India Ltd’s (HMIL) move to roll out an LPG version of the i10 has been well timed, especially in the wake of the slew of petrol price hikes that have been taking place lately. Not only that, the LPG variant has also been moderately priced.

The i10 LPG version is propelled by a 1.1 litre iRDE2 engine and will come in the Era and Magna variants for Rs 4.16 lakh and Rs 4.30 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), respectively, according to the company.

These are nearly Rs 27,000 more than the petrol variant but the LPG version will scale down costs substantially.

Commenting on the roll out, HMIL managing director and CEO HW Park averred, “The LPG variant of our Next Gen i10 is a viable alternative for customers who want the running cost to remain low.”

With the launch, HMIL is widening the ambit of its eco-friendly initiative, he added.

The new LPG version of the i10 has been named i10 ‘blue drive’ and comes with a factory-fitted LPG kit and has features that meet global standards so far as performance and safety are concerned, HMIL said.

The new i10 has separate petrol (capacity of 35 litres) and LPG (with capacity of 34 litres) tanks and customers can switch from LPG to petrol mode and vice-versa at ease.

According to the company, the factory-fitted LPG system in the i10 will enjoy a two-year manufacturers’ warranty.

The LPG tank in the new i10 blue drive comes with a special Toroidal tank, which allows intelligent use of space and paves the way for larger boot space than conventional LPG-fitted vehicles.

There is the alternator management system or the AMS, which is another innovative technology from Hyundai that controls delivery of power to the battery.

While decelerating, the power supply to the battery is normal, and during acceleration, it limits the power. This has dual benefit: It gives the battery a longer life and the mileage improves considerably.

The manual shift indicator, which is a splendid feature available in the i10, helps it achieve maximum fuel efficiency by optimum gear usage.

The i10 has been Hyundai’s highest selling car, overtaking even its basic model the Santro, and the LPG variant of the i10, with its moderate pricing, is going to spur sales further.

This move by Hyundai to rev up the i10’s sales is in the wake of growing competition from rivals like Chevrolet (Beat and UVa), Ford Motors (Figo) and the likes of Maruti (competition from A-Star and Ritz).

Competition in this compact market is so intense that almost players all have been forced to slash prices or are offering mega discounts (especially in the wake of the year-end festivities).

So, with fuel prices on the rise (especially petrol), Hyundai has rightly timed the launch of the LPG i10, which can reduce running costs by at least 60 per cent on the city’s roads or under normal driving conditions even though a petrol variant (of any car) is always the best option to keep your engine in the pink of health.