Piaggio's quadricycle plan delayed

To unveil CNG vehicle this year

The three-wheeler commercial vehicles major, Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltds' plan to launch a vehicle in the quadricyle segment (a segment between the light commercial vehicle and the three wheeler commercial segments) has been delayed because the government is yet to come out with specifications and regulations for the segment.

The company had planned to launch a vehicle in the quadricycle segment at the beginning of this year (Piaggio observes a January to December financial year).

Meanwhile, Piaggio will launch compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) driven vehicles later this year. "Tests on these (CNG/LNG) vehicles are on and we should be able to introduce these vehicles during the current year," Ashutosh Khosla, general manager, sales, Piaggio Vehicles, said here.

Quadricycles are higher than three wheelers, but lower than a light commercial vehicle of two tonne capacity.

When pointed out that Tata Motors had already pitched into the category with the recently launched Tata Ace, Khosla said: "This is a new category altogether and much is expected from this segment."

"Having completed the task of increasing the capacity of our manufacturing unit at Baramati from 50,000 vehicles to 100,000 vehicles a year, Piaggio will be in a position to meet new demand. We sold 72,000 vehicles in 2004 and aim to sell one lakh vehicles this year," Khosla said.

Piaggio Vehicles on Friday announced the launch of a new dealership, Kay Raj Automobiles, in Ahmedabad.