Tata Motors believes that its existing small diesel engine offered in the Altroz and Nexon will not be able to meet future emission norms. As a result, the 1.5-litre unit is likely to be phased out. It is said that Tata's twin-cylinder CNG technology would be a great alternative to it.
Like diesel, CNG is also associated with low running costs. It is cheaper than diesel and is lower on emissions as well. It would also help Tata to lower its overall CAFÉ score. Another reason why people in Delhi-NCR would prefer CNG over diesel is the 10-year cap on diesel cars.
According to Tata Motors MD Shailesh Chandra, the company would introduce CNG in segments where diesel is existing. While Tata has already announced that the Punch will be the next to get Tata's iCNG tech, we can also expect the company to introduce CNG variants of the Nexon in the future.
That being said, the Harrier and Safari will continue to use the 2.0-litre diesel engine and Tata has no plans to introduce CNG in this segment. Both SUVs will soon get a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine option though.
Source: Autocar India