The Indian automaker Maruti Suzuki (via its parent Suzuki Motor Corporation) has taken a forward-thinking step in its alternative-fuel strategy by unveiling a compressed biomethane gas (CBG) version of the Victoris SUV at the Japan Mobility Show 2025 in Tokyo.
Here’s a detailed look at what this means — for the car, for fuel technology, and for the market.
What’s New with the Victoris Biogas Variant
- The Victoris CBG uses the same packaging and under-floor gas tank layout as its CNG sibling: a dual-cylinder tank mounted beneath the vehicle floor, rather than inside the boot. This preserves luggage space while enabling a gas‐fuelled drive.
- In terms of dimensions, the overseas model stands at 4,360 mm in length, 1,795 mm in width, and 1,655 mm in height.
- The fuel concept: Whereas compressed natural gas (CNG) is derived from fossil natural-gas deposits, CBG is produced via anaerobic digestion of organic waste (such as agricultural residues, cattle dung, municipal waste) and then refined to a methane-rich fuel. In practice, it is chemically similar to CNG, but its source is renewable.
- The display at the show also includes a miniature model of a biogas plant (set up in India by Suzuki in collaboration with dairy cooperatives) to highlight the waste-to-fuel supply chain.
Why this Matters — For Fuel Technology and Rural Economics
Suzuki’s CBG initiative ties into multiple strategic themes:
1. Fuel-Diversification & Decarbonisation
By adding CBG to its portfolio, Suzuki is not only pushing beyond petrol and hybrid powertrains but also leveraging existing CNG hardware with minor modifications, which may make uptake faster and more cost-effective.
CBG is interesting from a sustainability viewpoint because it recycles carbon already in the biosphere (via waste) instead of extracting new fossil carbon.
2. India-Specific, Waste-Based Feedstock
In the Indian context, Suzuki highlights the potential of abundant cattle populations, dairy waste, and agricultural residues as feedstock for biogas. The company’s India pilot biogas plant (2014) is part of this roadmap.
That creates a circular economy model — waste becomes fuel and fertiliser (the by-product of digestion), helping rural employment, reducing dependence on oil imports, and addressing waste management.
3. Packaging & Practicality
One of the big complaints with CNG vehicles has been the intrusion into boot space (because of bulky under-hood or boot-mounted tanks). The Victoris uses the under-floor dual-cylinder layout, which helps maintain cargo capacity — making the tech more palatable for mainstream SUV buyers.
What We Still Don’t Know — The Caveats
- While the Victoris CBG has been shown, it is not yet clear when or whether it will be commercially launched in India (or globally). Autocar’s report states “India launch not confirmed”.
- Detailed performance, mileage, and production‐spec figures for the CBG version remain unreleased. CarToq mentions that the CBG model may use the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine found in the CNG version (87 hp and 121.5 Nm) paired with a 5-speed manual, but it is described as a reference figure.
- Infrastructure remains a major challenge for CBG: establishing supply chains, feedstock collection, biogas purification, distribution, and consumer acceptance all pose hurdles. Suzuki itself acknowledges the technical and economic challenges ahead.
Implications For India & the SUV Market
- The Victoris (launched in India in September 2025 with petrol, strong-hybrid, and CNG variants) is priced between ~₹10.50 lakh and ~₹19.99 lakh (ex-showroom).
- If the CBG version reaches India, it could offer yet another powertrain choice for cost-sensitive buyers looking for lower running costs and reduced carbon footprint.
- From a competitive perspective, offering CBG alongside other technologies may help Suzuki differentiate — especially when rivals are heavily focused on EVs or hybrid only. For India, where charging infrastructure is still being built, gas-based alternative fuels (CNG, CBG) can play a transitional role.
- From a marketing/branding angle: showcasing the Victoris CBG at an international mobility show like the Japan event adds prestige and global-tech credibility to a model that is “Made in India”. It signals that India-market models are not just low-cost but part of a global sustainability strategy.
Conclusion
The unveiling of the Victoris CBG variant is a bold move by Suzuki/Maruti: it underscores that the company is not putting all its eggs in the battery-EV basket, but rather pursuing a multi-pathway approach to mobility. By combining renewable fuel strategies (via biogas), existing gas-fuel architecture (CNG/CBG), and modern SUV packaging, they aim to deliver sustainable options without compromising practicality.
That said, the road ahead is not trivial. Commercial viability for CBG depends on feedstock logistics, infrastructure rollout, consumer acceptance, and cost parity with other fuels. Whether the Victoris CBG becomes a mass-market product or remains a showcase will depend on how these factors play out.
For Indian buyers, the key takeaway is this: in coupling the Victoris with CBG, Maruti Suzuki is expanding choice — and hinting at a future where an SUV might run on recycled dairy waste just as easily as on petrol or electricity. It’s a glimpse into how mobility and circular-economy thinking might converge.