A hybrid revolution?

Honda’s new civic hybrid is the first of its kind in India, but priced at over Rs 21 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) the petrolelectric car, which uses regenerated energy from braking, is priced out of reach of all but the wealthiest environmentalists.

However, Indian companies like Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and Tata Motors are developing hybrid vehicles as well, and those are expected to be a lot cheaper. The government has said that domestically built hybrid cars will attract only 4 per cent excise duty.

The Civic Hybrid, which is imported in completely built-up (CBU) condition, attracts 104 per cent import duty. The company expects to sell a modest 1,000 cars in the first year.

M&M showcased a prototype of its Hybrid Scorpio earlier this year at the Auto Expo, which, according to Arun Jaura, CTO and M&M’s top engineer, may actually be on Indian roads by 2009 has not yet decided on its price. Tata Motors is also developing hybrid technology and the next generation Tata Indica, expected around 2010-2011, may be a hybrid car. The bottom line: hybrid technology is here, but large-scale adoption will take a while. Unless, of course the government does its bit and gives such cars tax exemptions.

—Kushan Mitra