- Audi to embrace BS-VI norms with petrol vehicles and alternate fuel technologies
- The company has ruled out possibility of exiting diesel engines totally
- Customers wanting a diesel car after 31 March will have to wait
Audi India will transition into BS-VI norms with petrol vehicles and alternate fuel technologies. The company has however ruled out the possibility of exiting the diesel engines totally. As revealed to the media, Balbir Singh Dhillon, Audi India Head said, “BS-VI we will start with petrol only, across all models but diesel is not completely out of the picture. Going forward we will launch only petrol and we will also have electric cars coming to India. Whether we will completely exit diesel is something we are still on our drawing board.”
Going forward, the company has revealed its plans to focus on other technologies like mild hybrids and plug-in-hybrids. It is believed that Audi had previously commented on staying away from the diesel technology as the company believed that the future lies in electric and hybrid vehicles. As for future product developments, the company will utilize the Government of India’s vehicle import rule, which allows car makers to import 2,500 units of a passenger vehicle without homologating it in the country.
The media report further reveals that the demand for petrol engine options have been on the rise unlike a few years ago when diesel options were a popular choice in the luxury segment. When asked if Audi could deliver if there was demand from customers for diesel option of its popular SUVs after BS-VI comes into effect, Dhillion said, 'In the short term, (for) Q7 we don't have diesel. If some customers say we want only diesel, we may not have a solution for them for some time.'
