Heartening Trend
NEW CAR SALES have seen a healthy growth for the second month in a row thanks to a good monsoon. The cross-border tension with Pakistan is making people apprehensive and if it escalates into a full-blown conflict, none of us can a ord it because it will take a toll on the Indian economy.
The next couple of weeks will see quite a few new cars and SUVs being launched, starting with the new Honda Accord Hybrid, then the Toyota Fortuner and Hyundai Tucson. Most of the OEMs launch new cars and SUVs before 30 November to catch the cut-o date for the Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) and our Car India awards.
At last month’s Paris Motor Show most of the manufacturers displayed an electric, a plug-in hybrid, or a hybrid car. The car manufacturers are constantly working on battery technology with a view to extending battery life and making them smaller and more powerful. The pioneers in electric cars, Renault, displayed the ZOE with a range of 400 kilometres. They said that in real world driving conditions it could manage a range of 300 km. They also displayed the electric supercar, Trezor, which they intend to launch in the next five years.
The best solution for India as of today is the plug-in hybrid. Yes, the technology is expensive, but this is the best option for India as of now. The authorities should give them a tax break so they can be competitively priced.
The autonomous car will be a reality very soon worldwide, but it will not work in India because the computer on the car will obey all the tra ic rules which most of the drivers don’t.
EDITOR – ASPI BHATHENA
