General Motors India on Friday launched the CNG version of its Chevrolet Aveo mid-size sedan at a ceremony presided over by its President and Managing Director Mr. Karl Slym. The Aveo CNG is priced at Rs. 6,31,257 (ex-showroom Mumbai) and is a bi-fuel vehicle that comes with a 45-litre fuel tank.
Speaking on the occasion in Mumbai, Mr. Slym said, “The launch of the Aveo CNG is a testament to the importance that GM India attaches to green technology and environmentally friendly mobility solutions. Its running cost is approximately 57 percent lower than a similar vehicle powered by petrol and 25 percent lower than a similar vehicle powered by diesel. Because of the lower operating economics and the growing number of CNG stations being built across India, this new offering is expected to appeal to both individual and fleet customers. Under normal driving conditions, the Aveo CNG has a range of 180 to 200 kilometres on a full tank of CNG and around 500 kms on petrol and it is BS IV compliant.â€
The Chevrolet Aveo CNG, one of the most environmentally friendly cars available in India, and whose main markets will be Ahmedabad, Delhi and Mumbai, has the same specs and trim level features as that of the Aveo 1.4 LS which means you get everything that you ordinarily would with the Aveo 1.4LS in addition to the 
CNG kit. The car comes equipped with a next-generation computer-controlled sequential CNG injection technology from BRC-Italy. In an industry first, all “critical to quality†CNG kit components are fitted at the factory – including the CNG injectors, selector switch, modified wiring and suspension – to ensure high-quality and trouble-free service. In addition, the body is reinforced to carry the additional mass of the cylinder along with reinforced rear suspension. Sequential injection represents the most advanced level of evolution of CNG kit technology. The ECU (Electronic Controller Unit) calculates the opening times of the injectors for each cylinder and acts separately on each gas injector with the highest precision.
The Chevrolet Aveo CNG, whose main competition benchmarks have been the Logan CNG and the Hyundai Accent CNG, comes with benefits such as a sequential injection kit that offers precise fuel delivery control through electronic injectors, ensuring efficient combustion. The engine of the car also offers stable performance in CNG mode without a dip in the power.
Furthermore, the Aveo has a CNG-compatible engine. Hardened valve seats and anodized pistons are used in the proven 1.4-litre VGIS (Variable Geometry Intake System) petrol engine. This ensures there is no engine damage and that there are no reliability issues in the CNG mode. The company also claims that minimum service is required owing to the Aveo CNG’s advanced electronic operation. The car’s rear suspension has been reinforced to support the additional mass of the CNG cylinder in the trunk.
While GM India engineers have extensively tested and validated the Aveo CNG which comes with a  three-year/100,000-km standard warranty, an industry first in the mid-size sedan segment for a CNG bi-fuel car, and a service interval of 5,000 km or six months (whichever comes first), you still don’t get a car with body-coloured mirrors and body-coloured door handles. We also wish GM India goes a step further and adds a carpet mat to cover the CNG Tank which will further enhance the car’s appeal.
Speaking to Mr. Karl Slym, Mr. P. Balendran Vice President, GM India and Mr. Sumit Sawhney, Vice President Sales, Marketing & Aftersales, GM India, at the launch, they all reinforced Chevrolet’s commitment to the Indian consumer by offering high technology, environmentally friendly cars and the Aveo CNG is a step forward in this direction.
It may be recalled that the Chevrolet Aveo finished first in its segment in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS) two years in a row because of its class leading quality attributes.
