01 January 2009:business-standard.com:New Delhi: As part of the voluntary labelling programme for vehicle mileage spearheaded by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam), Maruti Suzuki, the country's largest manufacturer of passenger vehicles, has for the first time revealed the fuel efficiency of all its 12 brands of cars, multi-utility vehicles (MUV) and sports utility vehicles (SUV) sold in the country.
While the popular selling Maruti 800 delivers 16.1 km to a litre, its 5th world strategic model A Star notches 19 km/ litre. While the Swift diesel achieves an impressive 21 km, the petrol variant runs for 16 kms. Similar mileage efficiency has been informally disclosed by Hyundai for its bestselling " i10" models that sport the new-age Kappa engine.
These mileage disclosures for the Maruti vehicles have been tested and certified by accredited automobile testing bodies in the country such as Automotive Research Association of India at Pune, Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (VRDE) at Ahmednagar and International Centre of Automotive Technology (ICAT) located at Manesar.
From January 1, automobile majors in the country will voluntarily disclose mileage obtained from each of the new passenger vehicles they sell. "This is part of a broader initiative to educate customers on fuel conservation and its implications on the environment," says Dilip Chennoy, Director General, Siam. The mileage disclosures will have to be completed by March 31.
The fuel efficiency disclosures will first be limited to two-wheeler and passenger vehicle manufacturers. Commercial vehicles have been kept out of the pilot project for the time being. One industry executive said since the buyers of commercial vehicles, accounting for a small number, are versatile in determining the mileage of the buses and trucks they purchase. So this segment has been kept out of the project for the time being.
The aim of the labelling programme, according to an industry executive, is to ensure that the customer does not have to rely on word-of-mouth testimonials on the mileage of a particular brand of car or motorcycle he buys. Siam's fuel-efficiency labelling project also involves training vehicle owners in driving techniques to achieve greater fuel efficiency.
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