The Auto Expo colour this time, more than ever before, is going to be green.
Not only will auto components such as catalytic converters, fuel injection systems and batteries needed to run hybrid/electric vehicles be on display, but also several electric cars from Indian, Japanese and Korean manufacturers will get a pride of place this time.
A vehicle that runs only on hydrogen will be operational inside the venue and so will a locally manufactured small electric car.
Toyota Kirloskar Motors is expected to showcase Prius, the world’s most successful hybrid vehicle. General Motors India, along with Reva Electric Car Co of Bangalore, may display the electric ‘Spark’.
Tata Motors is also working on an electric Indica and is expected to showcase hybrid city buses, while Mahindra & Mahindra, which has already launched a ‘Scorpio’ microhybrid, which is sure to be showcased.
US major Eaton Corp could display the electric and hydraulic hybrid trucks it is developing in association with top commercial vehicle makers in India.
The green technology display at the venue comes close on the heels of the government’s intention to make declaration of fuel efficiency norms mandatory for all vehicle manufacturers by 2011.
At present, car makers disclose this information at the point of purchase on a voluntary basis. Also, the expo is being held just ahead of the Bharat Stage IV emission norms rollout by April next year in top 13 cities.
Then, it is possible that vehicles which have been used during the ‘hithane’ pilot project are also shown. This project aims at developing an ideal mixture of hydrogen and CNG for use across several kinds of vehicles such as passenger cars, commercial vehicles and three-wheelers.
This time, the expo is spread over 125,000 square metres and boasts of 2,100 participants, of which 800 are coming from overseas. It is looking at 18 lakh visitors despite having reduced the duration of the show by two days.
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