Hyundai Nigeria moves to ease transport costs with locally made CNG vehicles
Hyundai Nigeria, a subsidiary of Stallion Group, has joined the list of Nigerian-owned automakers driving the adoption of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (Pi-CNG) by rolling out CNG vehicles for various categories of automobile users in the country.
The vehicles are assembled in Nigeria, and the models include the Hyundai Grand i10, Hyundai Accent, Hyundai Creta, and Hyundai Tucson.
The automaker views its latest offerings as supporting the Federal Government’s efforts to provide the country with sustainable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly transportation solutions.
Head of Sales and Marketing for Hyundai Nigeria, Gaurav Vashisht, said the locally assembled CNG vehicles cater to most vehicle buyers, including retail customers and status vehicle owners from different corporate companies.
“For instance, the CNG Grand i10 is largely targeted at fleet owners and first-time buyers focused on vehicle reliability and low cost of ownership. With Hyundai CNG vehicles, our customers, including first-time car buyers, will be able to acquire tropicalised and affordable vehicles that come with factory-fitted CNG facilities instead of converting imported used petrol vehicles to CNG.
“Our latest Grand i10, Accent, Creta, and Tucson come with factory-fitted CNG kits, including the bulletproof CNG cylinders, which are safer than petrol tanks but take up less trunk space, unlike the converted conventional vehicles,” Vashisht said.
According to Vashisht, the company has put in place auto finance options for buyers to enable all interested buyers, who are unable to make a one-time payment, to benefit from the cost-saving motoring incentives of the CNG vehicles.
The President Bola Tinubu-led administration introduced the Presidential CNG Initiative in 2023, a programme aimed at encouraging automakers to flood the country with factory-fitted CNG vehicles.
Because CNG emits far less carbon than traditional fossil fuels, vehicles running on CNG are more environmentally friendly.
Also, owners of CNG vehicles pay an equivalent of about N300 per litre compared to petrol, which currently sells for almost N1,000 per litre.
“Like all CNG-powered vehicles, the newly introduced Grand i10, Accent, Creta, and Tucson guarantee higher fuel economy and lower running costs. Most importantly, our newly introduced locally assembled CNG vehicles are backed by a three-year unlimited mileage warranty and supported by over 30 years of Stallion Group’s nationwide aftersales network facilities,” Vashisht added.
Common among the newly introduced CNG vehicles are style, economy, strength, and safety. For instance, sporty and trendy, the CNG Grand i10 is not only powered by a multi-point injected engine mated to an automatic transmission, but it also comes with safety features, including an anti-lock brake system (ABS), rear parking assist system (RPAS), and dual airbags.
The CNG Accent, which comes with a super-strong body structure, six airbags, ABS, rearview camera, and safety windows, is powered by a 1.5 MPi engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Equipped with rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, a six-airbag system, cruise control, a tyre pressure monitoring system, and more, the Hyundai Creta, a compact crossover, is powered by a smart engine built with Dual Variable Valve Timing for improved performance, with gearbox options expanded to include a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
On the other hand, the CNG Tucson is powered by a Smartstream 2.0-litre engine, mated to a smart transmission that automatically adjusts gear shift intervals based on an analysis of recent driving patterns.
Flaunting an innovative sporty SUV style, Tucson’s spacious interior and extensive safety features, including Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Driver Attention Warning, Surround View Monitor, and Blind-Spot View Monitor, are bound to attract safety- and style-loving Nigerian auto buyers.