Ambassadors on CNG
By N. Mohan | 24 Mar 1999
The C.K. Birla group's Hindustan Motors Ltd has recently introduced variants of its Ambassador and Ambassador 1800 ISZ cars with engines that can be run on compressed natural gas. The Ambassador 1800 ISZ bi-fuel model can run on both CNG and petrol.
The company is targeting the high number of old taxis in New Delhi for sales. It has arranged a financial tie-up with the Delhi Financial Corporation for a scheme by which taxi drivers who want to phase out old vehicles will get a sales tax benefit as well as subsidy on interest.
The scheme is expected to become popular in view of the Supreme Court directive that all pre-1990 vehicles should be replaced with new vehicles on clean fuels by 21 March 2000. Some 100 CNG/bi-fuel vehicles have already been sold.
Earlier, Hindustan Motors had launched an awareness campaign highlighting the advantages of the use of CNG. It had also ascertained the actual availability of CNG through public outlets in New Delhi and Mumbai.
Apart from taxi drivers, the company hopes that others who prefer the Ambassador car will go for the CNG/bi-fuel vehicles. In New Delhi, public and private sector companies as well as embassies, who have been using Ambassador vehicles would be potential buyers.
The CNG kits, claim company's officials, are easy to install and maintain.