Maruti Suzuki India will launch a new mid-size SUV, internally codenamed the Y17, on September 3. While this model will get a CNG option, it will be the first passenger vehicle (PV) from the country's largest carmaker to get an underbody CNG tank, according to sources.
The new SUV is being widely referred to as "Escudo". However, it will have a completely different name.
Maruti started selling CNG cars in India in 2010. Till now, the company's CNG cars have come with the CNG cylinder placed in the boot.
"However, the new SUV has an underbody CNG tank. This has been done to free up more space in the boot," one of the sources told Moneycontrol.
"Maruti's S-CNG technology is the best in the PV industry. Hence, our CNG volumes are miles ahead of rivals. But many buyers have raised concerns about the lack of enough space in the boot due to the placement of the CNG tank," the source added.
The S‑CNG (smart‑CNG) is Maruti's proprietary factory‑fitted compressed natural gas technology.
The CNG kits in Maruti cars are directly installed on the production line, resulting in complete integration, unlike aftermarket fitments. The engine, transmission, suspension and brakes of cars are calibrated for CNG from day one.
Another source said that the underbody CNG tank installation is by far the biggest CNG technology update for Maruti cars. "We are addressing the space-related concerns of our customers with this update," the source added.
The future models of Maruti will also employ the underbody CNG tank installation technique.
Maruti spokespersons did not immediately respond to an email seeking details about the underbody CNG tank of the upcoming SUV.
Rivals like Tata Motors and Hyundai Motor India have already introduced twin-CNG cylinder technology, which allows two smaller CNG cylinders to be placed in the boot, instead of one bulky cylinder. The luggage capacity in the boot increases with smaller cylinders.
Maruti's CNG journey started with three models -- Eeco, Alto and WagonR. The company now offers CNG in 13 of its 16 PVs in the domestic market. In comparison, Tata has five CNG models, while Hyundai only has three.
According to data from automotive analytics and consulting firm JATO Dynamics, Maruti sold 5,94,166 units of CNG cars in FY25 with a market share of 70.8%. During the fiscal, Tata's CNG volumes stood at 1,39,205 units with a market share of 16.6% and that of Hyundai at 79,266 units with a market share of 9.4%.
Moneycontrol earlier reported that the new SUV, "Escudo", will be the first model ever by Maruti to be launched in India with Level-2 ADAS. It will be sold from the company's Arena dealerships.
The new SUV will also get features like Dolby Atmos and a powered tailgate. It will share powertrains with the Grand Vitara and get a four-wheel-drive (4WD) option.
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