The Indian unit of Toyota is ready to explore the petrol versions of its popular multi-purpose vehicles Innova and sports utility vehicle (SUV) Fortuner to tide over the apex court's verdict, curbing registration of vehicles with large diesel engines in the National Capital Region (NCR), according to media reports.
Both Innova and Fortuner is loaded with a 2.5-liter diesel engine or a 3.0-liter diesel engine, and hence their sale in NCR is prohibited.
Last month, the apex court had stated that the registration of any new diesel cars with over 2,000cc engine capacity will be banned in
"When we started selling the Innova, we had made available a petrol version. It was discontinued as demand was largely diesel-driven. We have to see now, if it warrants, we have to get it back," said TS Jaishankar, deputy managing director-commercial at Toyota Kirloskar Motor.
Toyota sold 91,588 vehicles in the domestic market between April and November 2015. Of these, 50,771 units, or more than 55 percent, were the Innova and Fortuner. NCR accounts for 14 percent of TKM’s total sales.
According to industry experts, about 400,000 units of diesel vehicles with two-litre or heavier engines are sold in the country annually and of these 5-8 per cent are sold in the NCR.
Toyota is not the only one to examining options to develop petrol versions of best-selling products. Last month, Mahindra said it will focus on developing petrol engines for its existing portfolio of vehicles.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a temporary ban on the sale of large diesel cars in New Delhi to combat toxic smog in India's capital, but postponed hearing an industry appeal on an environmental tax that carmakers say will hit investment.
BW Reporters
The author is Senior Correspondent with BW Businessworld
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