The Hindu Business Line : Stepping on the gas

The DUO WagonR will try to woo the fuel-efficiency-conscious consumer, who also does not want to compromise on the quality of the car that he drives. The big plus here will be that the gas kit comes factory-fitted.

For the Indian car-owner, there is one need that can never really be satiated. He have always been fuel efficiency conscious, but with the price of crude oil steadily on the rise and showing no signs of relenting, he has never before felt more the need for improved mileage. The options available are pretty simplistic. Diesel cars tend to be more expensive than their petrol cousins (though there is no convincing answer to explain the difference). And among petrol-driven cars, a compromise may need to be made — between good engineering and class-leading fuel efficiency.

One option available in the after-market for car owners (who may have already burnt a hole in their pockets) is retrofitting a CNG or an LPG gas kit. But, unfortunately, not too many of them can muster the courage to trust the neighbourhood gas kit mechanic or dealer. There is also a perception, not completely unfounded, that running the car on CNG/LPG will lead to engine damage in the long run. Whether that is due to poor quality of the gas or kits that skimp on some critical parts, the result could be irreversible damage to the engine.

Reliability is a big issue here and that has been one reason for car manufacturers not considering original fitment of gas kits.

But, now, car-owners looking for a factory-fitted gas kit option can heave a sigh of relief. The country's largest car manufacturer, Maruti Udyog, has launched its first B-segment car with a dual fuel — petrol-cum-LPG — option in the new WagonR. Simultaneously, Maruti has used the launch opportunity to redesign and refresh the Multi-Utility Vehicle giving it a facelift to infuse more excitement into the brand.

New-look WagonR

First, a new WagonR will replace the existing one later this month. The car has been facing stiff competition, but has held on to its niche in the market. Maruti has obviously chosen to refurbish the WagonR's looks right on time before it starts tiring. Speaking to us during an exclusive preview of the new WagonR and the DUO WagonR (dual fuel), Maruti officials said the primary focus of the exterior redesign for the car was to make the front profile more aggressive and to give the car's rear the perception of increased width. (More on the new look later.)

Duo WagonR

This is not the first time that an Indian carmaker has dabbled with a dual fuel vehicle. Tata Motors tried it before, Fiat demonstrated that it has the capability and the international experience for doing so and others, such as GM India and Hyundai, have announced plans for entering this as-yet-nascent segment of the original equipment market.

There has been an increasing interest in dual fuel (gas/petrol) cars and the latent demand for such vehicles has probably surged after the recent hike in fuel prices.

The DUO WagonR will try to do exactly that to woo the fuel-efficiency-conscious consumer, who still does not want to compromise on the quality of the car that he drives. The big plus here, of course, will be that the gas kit comes factory-fitted and with the comfort a two-year comprehensive warranty. Maruti engineers say the company has learnt from its experience with the Omni LPG. Maruti has also extensively tested the WagonR in its current form with the same gas kit and also in the new DUO WagonR. The company has chosen LPG over CNG as the fuel of choice as the latter is not available nationwide; the former is available (albeit only in a few vending stations) in 42 cities.

Innovative features

To efficiently integrate the gas induction kit and the storage tank into the new WagonR, Maruti has innovatively got the tank designed to fit into the spare-wheel area below the floor of the boot. The unique space saving Toroidal tank is said to be resistant to collisions and impacts and also features a safety valve to prevent leakages. Maruti has also got the new design tank and gas delivery system certified by the Department of Explosives (DoE) and the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) for reiterating the overall security and safety of this dual fuel vehicle.

The DUO WagonR features a separate petrol tank of 35-litre capacity, which is in addition to the 22-litre gas tank. For simultaneously integrating both petrol injection and gas delivery to the engine, Maruti engineers have incorporated a three-stage step-down pressure system for LPG (since it is stored at high pressure), after which the gas is delivered into the throttle body.

The process of mixing of the gas with air before being finally routed to the engine is similar to a carburetted system. The multi-point fuel injection for petrol continues for reaching the other fuel to the engine. To choose between the two fuels, the DUO WagonR comes with an easy-to-reach switch just behind the steering wheel, on the dashboard. The switch is designed to enable the engine start with petrol as the primary fuel and then to switch to gas, though a manual override option is also available to either start and drive completely on petrol or on gas. Maruti engineers claim that the dual fuel vehicle has been tested extensively and that the potential areas of trouble such as valve train strengthening and engine protection have been taken car of. Since the Toroidal tank has taken the place of the spare wheel, the stepney is now positioned in the regular boot area, reducing the space available for luggage. There is also a bit of peak power loss (claimed to be about 3-5 per cent). During our test-drive of the DUO WagonR, near Maruti's plant, the transition from petrol to gas and the reverse was amazingly seamless and the power loss was barely discernible.

Only two variants (LX and LXi) of the dual fuel WagonR are offered. The car, when run completely on LPG is expected to cost a third lesser to run when compared to the equivalent cost per kilometre for the petrol driven version. That could take close to the best cost and mileage numbers that a diesel car can offer. The only component that is likely to require a relatively more frequent replacement in the DUO WagonR could be the air filter.

The price of the new LPG variant has not been announced as yet. But buyers can expect a tag that will be about ten per cent more than the petrol cousin.

The DUO WagonR should find eager acceptance amongst buyers looking for savings from an alternate fuel vehicle. It being a vehicle coming from Maruti and with a two-year warranty to boot, even sceptical buyers could well be influenced.

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