Tata Motors, IOC get together for bio-diesel pilot project

Tata Motors has initiated an informal project with Indian Oil Corporation for the use of bio-diesel blended fuels in its buses. There is no written agreement between the two companies for the project.

Dr V Sumantran, executive director, engineering research centre, Tata Motors, said the company has initiated a joint project undertaken with Indian Oil Corporation on informal basis to understand the feasibility of using bio-diesel in its vehicles.

He said the company would use the data from the 43 buses plying in and out of the company premises, travelling about 160km a day, in varying traffic conditions and weather. Depending on the data, the programme would be rolled out to include the remaining buses of its 160 strong fleet.

Tata Motors has undertaken several research and development projects for the use of green technology and in addition to fuel conservation and exploration of hydrogen-based fuels the company has also stepped up its efforts to use renewable bio-fuels.

Dr Sumantran revealed that Tata Motors was working on a hybrid car that would have an engine and a motor, and the prototype is expected to be ready by the year-end. Last year the company flagged off two Indica cars running on blended biofuels to test the feasibility of using the fuel.