India to Require Diesel Vehicles to Average 46.8 mpg by 2015

The Indian government is set to impose stringent CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) requirements on Indian automakers within the next year.  While the current average allowed for an automaker’s full line of vehicles is 36.6 mpg, companies like Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata will have until 2015 to make a 10 mpg improvement when the new standards take effect.  If the CAFE requirement isn’t met, manufacturers will face monetary penalties.

The increased fuel economy ratings are directly related to a reduction in CO2 emissions.  The current 36.6 mpg target correlates with the production of 165 grams per kilometer, and the 46.8 mpg target translates to 135 g/km of CO2 emissions.  Environmental organizations are pushing for India to aim for parity with European standards and achieve 110 g/km by 2020.

Indian manufacturers build many small vehicles like Mahindra’s Gio and Maxximo which help them to meet the current standards.  However, the proposed requirements will force all manufacturers to tighten their fuel efficiency belts.  Since Mahindra is, and intends to remain an SUV-focused company, we can expect to see economy improvements across the product range, but they will certainly make hybrid and electric technology more of apriority.  Efficient designs from Ssangyong and Mahindra-Reva electric cars should help Mahindra meet the standards as well.

Of course none of this will immediately effect the US introduction of Mahindra or Ssangyong vehicles.   But it does help to force common global economy and emissions standards into place.  India is emerging as an international automotive player.  Quickly stepping up to meet some of the world’s strictest emissions standards is a very positive move which will help all Indian manufacturers to be seen as serious global carmakers and shed some of their third world stigma.

Source: AutoblogGreen

What the MUC? The US Gets a Version of the Mahindra Xylo in 2012

If you have explored around the Mahindra North America website, you have probably seen the “Future Vehicle” tab containing a highly stylized image of a vehicle and the tagline stating “MUC Expected US Landing 2012”. No further description is given, so Mahindra Planet will lay down some speculation:

Most likely, the vehicle shown and referred to as MUC is an iteration of the Mahindra Xylo. The Xylo was launched in India in January of 2009. It was originally designed to be a high capacity people mover for domestic and world markets. The design is body-on-frame like the TR20/TR40 and Scorpio SUV. It is currently equipped with a diesel 4-cylinder engine like other Mahindra trucks. For more info on the Xylo click here: Mahindra Xylo Coming to America?

Since the release of the Xylo last winter, the rumor has been that this vehicle will reach US shores in some form. The Xylo was designed from the start with intentions to be a world-market vehicle. It is likely that the MUC is some derivative of the Xylo platform.

Several sketches and renderings of Xylo variations have been circulating the web for quite a while. Interestingly, most have shown some type of pickup truck version. Looking closely at the image on Mahindra’s website, it’s easy to make out the shape of an integrated body/cab pickup version of the Xylo. Kind of a Mahindra version of a Chevrolet Avalanche.

The Xylo platform was designed at birth to handle either Mahindra’s diesel engine or hybrid powertrain. The version coming to the US could very well contain the hybrid system exclusively.

Maybe the most important aspect of the MahindraNA.com teaser is that Mahindra is looking forward and already planning future product for the US market. This is positive reinforcement of Mahindra’s long term commitment.

Source: MahindraNA.com, and IndiaAutosBlog.com (lots of good Xylo links and photos)