There is no denying that it’s the mileage of a vehicle that matters most to the Indian buyers. In fact, the reason behind increasing sales of diesel cars in India, in recent times, is the high fuel economy offered by the diesel cars. It’s not only the middle-class buyers that are fascinated towards fuel-efficient diesel cars, but the luxury car buyers, too, choose diesel versions over petrol ones.
A diesel car saves fuel, but does it actually save your money? Diesel fuel, however, more economical than the petrol, it now costs nearly same as the gasoline. The diesel-powered cars, usually, cost higher than their petrol counterparts. Moreover, the diesel vehicles require regular maintenance such as changing engine lubricant, the air and fuel filters. If repair or maintenance is ignored, the fuel injection system stops working, and you might have to spend extra bucks on its repair. Thus, a diesel car isn’t an economical option as it seems.
While the debate over better fuel option between diesel and petrol is still there, the green technology is gradually emerging as a potential alternative that is both eco-friendly and economical.
These are environment friendly and more economical than the conventional internal combustion engines. Automakers like Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan and Maruti Suzuki are working on electric and hybrid technologies. The government, too, is aiming to promote eco friendly cars in India, by subsidizing these vehicles.
Hybrid or electric cars consume less fuel and are easy to maintain. A green car saves fuel up to 38% in city and 19% on highways. These are quieter and smoother than the internal combustion engines. What makes them eco-friendly is their lower carbon emission level. The hybrid and electric cars reduce the toxic carbon and sulfur emissions up to 97%. The eco-friendly cars are cheaper than the conventional engine based vehicles, and have less insurance cost too. The available tax incentives, credits and subsidy further reduce their cost.
Unlike the conventional-engined vehicles, green cars require less engine repairs and maintenance. Using the eco-friendly cars lessen our dependence on fossil fuels such as petroleum, oil, natural gas etc. In electric vehicles, when you push the accelerator the power is directly transmitted to the wheels. This results in better handling and driving experience. The green cars, usually, weigh lighter than the conventional ones. It further improves their fuel efficiency and handling.
Hybrid cars come with regenerative braking system that captures the energy released while braking, and uses it for recharging battery. While, the electric vehicles convert up to 60% of electrical energy, transmitted from the power grid of battery, and deliver it to the wheels. Green cars are safe as the conventional vehicles. Some of the electric cars are offered with airbags and other safety features that may vary model-wise. The eco-friendly cars, however, are in their development stage and consumers are still not convinced to buy these vehicles. We have only few green cars in India such as Mahindra Reva, Toyota Prius and BMW i8.
