Hyundai Motor India Pvt. Ltd. plans to launch models compliant with Bharat Stage-VI emission norms by early 2020, Chief Executive Officer Seon Seob Kim said Tuesday.
The BS-VI-compliant models will include diesel variants as well.
Hyundai also plans to sell BS-IV cars till the end of March 2020 in order to offer lower-priced cars to prospective customers.
"I estimate that by the end of this year or early next year, introduction of BS-VI vehicles will happen," Kim told the Press Trust of India in an interview, adding that the ramp up of BS-VI models is going to happen in a gradual manner.
Hyundai, at present has only one BS-VI car, the recently launched Grand i10 Nios. The model's petrol trim is BS-VI compliant while the diesel variants adhere to BS-IV norms.
In comparison, Maruti Suzuki has seven petrol models, including the recently-launched XL6, that are now BS-VI compliant.
"As per our plan, all products, including diesel variants, will be upgraded to BS-VI level,” said Hyundai India’s Kim.
Hyundai will also continue the production and sales of BS-IV vehicles until the end of next year, said Kim. "With BS-VI, car prices are expected to go up, so if the customer wants to buy some economical product, it is our responsibility to provide and supply that.”
When asked if the company expects increased demand for BS-IV vehicles before April 1, 2020, Kim said that Hyundai's global experience showed that whenever norms get changed, there were significant sales as people wanted to buy cars at cheaper rates.
And, with the government clearing the air on BS-IV registrations, there are now no uncertain factors left regarding the technology, he added.
Announcing measures to spur growth in the Indian economy, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had on Friday said BS-IV cars would remain operational till the entire duration of their registration.
When asked if Hyundai plans to get into new segments, including launching a multi-purpose vehicle, Kim said, "There are no immediate plans right now, but at the same time lot of studies are being conducted." If the market demands that Hyundai to have a strong presence in the MPV segment, the company would think seriously about it, he added.
Hyundai may also look at various options, including changing body styles, to cater to customer requirements. "It is kind of smart engineering. I think that it will be a better solution in terms of cost as well as pricing," said Kim.
Kia Motors recently launched the Seltos SUV, a direct competitor of Hyundai Creta, and has already received record bookings. Hyundai is in the process of bringing a new version of the Creta, Kim said, but the timing of the launch will be market-dependent.
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