Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) witnessed 23 per cent increase in sales of eco-friendly factory-fitted CNG vehicles in 2014-15 fiscal at 62,996 units. The company had sold a total of 51,215 units of factory- fitted CNG vehicles in the previous fiscal. "The contribution of CNG vehicles to total sales increased to 5.4 per cent from 4.9 per cent in FY 2013-14," MSI said in a statement.
In 2014-15, MSI had posted its highest ever sales at 12,92,415 units, up 11.9 per cent from 11,55,041 units in 2013-14. The previous high was in 2010-11 fiscal, when the company had sold 12,71,005 units. MSI’s domestic sales during the 2014-15 fiscal stood at 11,70,702 units, up 11.1 per cent from 10,53,689 units in 2013-14 fiscal. It offers six dual fuel (CNG+Petrol) models - Alto, Alto K-10, Celerio, Wagon R, Eeco and Ertiga. The CNG variants of Alto K-10 and Celerio launched in 2014-15.
MSI said in Delhi and Mumbai where distribution infrastructure is in place and CNG for automobiles is available almost 50 per cent sales of Wagon R, Eeco and Ertiga are accounted for by CNG variants. CNG is a cleaner fuel with negligible amount of particulate matter emission.