Automobile Industry has switched from BS4 to BS6, it is mandated for all the auto manufacturers to sell BS6 compliant vehicles. Some of the manufacturers launched and started selling BS6 models at the start of the year. Maruti Suzuki just recorded sales of 7.5 lakh units of BS6 cars. Maruti Suzuki currently has 13 BS6-compliant models on offer. Since the introduction of these models, Maruti has sold more BS6 cars than BS4.
Despite being locked down in the country due to COVID-19 pandemic, due to which sales were down and Maruti Suzuki recorded 47.5 percent decline in sales in the month of March, yet Maruti did well to sell BS6 cars. As of March 2020, Maruti Suzuki India has sold over 7.5 lakh BS6 compliant cars in India, and except for the S-Cross, all other models have made the shift to the cleaner and more stringent BS6 emission regulations.
Maruti Suzuki is one carmaker that got on to it early enough. As a result, it sold over 7,50,000 BS6 vehicles before the new emission regulation came into force. In comparison, the passenger vehicle industry leader sold 6,59,000 BS4 passenger vehicles in the market. The BS4 norm was introduced in a phased manner from 2010, and was made mandatory nationwide from April 1, 2017.
The first milestone announced by Maruti Suzuki in terms of BS6 vehicle sales was in November 2019, when the company crossed the 3 lakh units mark. In the next two months, the company crossed the 5 lakh units milestone, and by March 2020, the company’s total BS6 vehicle sales increased by an additional 2.5 lakh units. The numbers could have increased further, however, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the company had to suspend all production and sales operations from March 22 onwards. The outbreak also took a hit on the company’s March sales which was down by 47 percent.
The Alto and the Baleno were the first models to get a BS6 engine, in April 2019. They were followed by the Wagon R and Dzire two months later. The Ertiga, XL6, S-Presso got BS6 versions last year. The Eeco, Celerio, Ciaz, Vitara Brezza, Ignis, and its sole commercial vehicle, the Super Carry small truck got upgraded to BS6 this year.
