As india’s auto industry hits the road, the question being asked is which car will take you a longer way and still leave your wallet intact. Fortunate is he who has been able to squeeze out 15 kms a litre from a passenger car. And automakers have an explanation: they need ideal conditions for this. Well, since our roads are not exactly autobahn standards, we’re not likely to get there in a hurry.
The auto industry is unlikely to take a lie-detector test on mileage in the future either. Although the Tata Nano may come with a certified fuel efficiency indicator, other manufacturers are not revving up to follow suit. Could this be because Big Brother is not watching? No, it is because the Bureau of Energy Efficiency has been stopped by the heavy industry ministry because it does not have a mandate for fuel efficiency standards since it cannot decide if a car is an appliance or an equipment!
Meanwhile, automakers can idle around as far as mileage claims go. And once again, the poor consumer finds himself having been taken for a ride.