Hyundai to roll out BS6 models early next year

Udaipur: South Korean auto major Hyundai plans to start rolling out upgraded BS6 compliant models, including diesel trims, on a regular basis by early next year, a top company official said.

The company, which is present in the country through a wholly-owned subsidiary, also plans to simultaneously keep selling BS4 vehicles till end of March next year in order to offer lower priced units to prospective customers.

"I estimate that by the end of this year or early next year, the introduction of BS6 vehicles will happen," Hyundai Motor India MD and CEO SS Kim told in an interview. In terms of technology, the company is ready with most of the work from research and development perspective, he added.

Kim, however, clarified that the ramp up of BS6 models is going to happen in a gradual manner. Hyundai currently has just one product, the recently launched Grand i10 Nios, that is BS6 compliant.

The model's petrol trim is BS6 compliant while the diesel variants still conform to BS4 regulations. In comparison, Maruti Suzuki has seven petrol models that are now BS6 emission norms compliant.

When asked if the company's entire current product portfolio would see an upgrade to BS6 levels, Kim said, "As per our plan, all products, including diesel variants, will be upgraded to BS6 level."