Honda Cars India is said to be evaluating the viability of diesel models in its domestic portfolio in order to meet the more stringent emission standards that are coming into effect, as well as its increased efforts to bring in eco-friendly models such as the strong hybrid system in the City midsize sedan.
Takuya Tsumura, president and CEO of Honda Cars India, told TOI that his company is not thinking too much about diesel because of the difficulties in meeting RDE (Real Driving Emissions) with that fuel type as the auto industry prepares to meet BSVI phase 2 norms. He went on to say that most European car companies couldn’t keep using diesel.
The Real Driving Emissions (RDE) regulations will go into effect in April 2023, followed by the second phase of CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy), which will further reduce the permissible average CO2 levels from the current standard. Even in real-world conditions, RDE standards will require passenger cars to meet emission targets.
Also Read: Mahindra To Launch 4 New Cars In Next One Year
Thus, programmed fuel injection, which controls the timing and amount of fuel injected in gasoline engines based on sensor inputs, becomes critical. Honda has clearly shifted its focus to bringing more SUVs to the Indian market, as a compact SUV and a midsize SUV are currently in development.
Furthermore, it is considering the local launch of electric vehicles in the future. According to the report, Honda is developing its fleet electrification strategy while closely evaluating shelving diesel models. Honda is expected to launch an all-new compact SUV next year, most likely based on the Amaze platform.
Based on the fifth generation City’s architecture, Honda’s midsize SUV rivalling the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, MG Astor, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, and Nissan Kicks could be launched in early 2024. It could have a more localized version of the same powerful hybrid system found in the City Hybrid, which was released earlier this year.
Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Price To Be Announced In 3-4 Days
