Q. Is Tata is planning to introduce CNG Cars this year?

Tata is planning to launch CNG-powered cars by FY 2022. CNG kits will be factory-fitted. Tiago, Altroz, and Tigor are expected to come with the green fuel option. All three use the same 86PS 1.2-liter petrol engine. CNG variants will see a minor reduction in power and be paired to a 5-speed manual transmission. In a recent interview with IANS, Shailesh Chandra, President of the Tata Motors Passenger Vehicle section, confirmed that the carmaker will equip select models with factory-fitted CNG kits by FY 2021-2022. While there hasn’t been any official word on the models to get the CNG option, we reckon it would be the Tiago, Tigor, and Altroz. And if our guess is correct, the Altroz will then come with three fuel options -- petrol, diesel, and CNG. All three models use the same 86PS/113Nm 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine. However, with the CNG variant, power figures will drop slightly while fuel efficiency is likely to be around 30 km/kg. A 5-speed manual will be the only transmission on offer. The CNG variants could cost Rs 50,000 more than the corresponding ICE-powered vehicles. Chances are, only the base and mid-spec variants will get the CNG option, as seen in other cars. With this, Tata will be the third manufacturer to offer CNG-powered cars, after Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai. Currently, there are around 10 CNG cars in India, including the Maruti Ertiga, WagonR, Alto, Celerio, S-Presso, Hyundai Grand i10 Nios, Santro, and Aura. However, other manufacturers are also considering the possibility of adding CNG to their list of fuel options. Stay tuned.