Car buyers in NCR shunning old vehicles to embrace greener options
recurrent bans on the movement of old petrol and diesel vehicles imposed by the local authorities to contain air pollution.
Replacement demand for vehicles in the NCR has shot up by 30%, outpacing a 22% increase reported countrywide, they said. This has come along with a marked shift away from diesel to more environment-friendly options like CNG, electric and strong hybrid vehicles.
The share of diesel in new car sales in the NCR declined to 5.8% this fiscal year from 7.5% in FY23 and 8.8% in FY22.
CNG, once used mostly in buses and taxis, now accounts for 20.7% of new vehicle sales. Demand for hybrid vehicles too is on the rise, pacing ahead of the electric segment where worries over availability of public charging infrastructure are weighing on sales.
Arnab Kumar (name changed), an employee at a public sector bank in Delhi, is looking to sell his diesel-powered Mahindra XUV 700.
While his vehicle meets the latest BS-VI emission standards, he is worried about the increasing restrictions on diesel vehicles in the national capital.
«I am planning to change the car soon,” Kumar said. He is considering replacing it with either a strong hybrid vehicle or an entry-level petrol car from Audi or BMW.
In addition to the restrictions on the movement of old diesel vehicles at times of severe pollution, they can be run only for 10 years in the NCR, which has been prompting many like Kumar to move away from the fuel.
Strong hybrids come with a combustion engine and electric motor and can run on either of these or a combination of both, offering high fuel efficiency.
“We are seeing higher replacement buying in the NCR, when compared to the national average,” said Shashank Srivastava, senior executive officer (marketing and
