Skoda Rapid CNG Cancelled – Here’s Why | V3Cars

However, Zac Hollis, the head of Skoda India, later tweeted that the Rapid CNG project was scrapped. We couldn’t help but wonder why Skoda would scrap an upcoming CNG product when CNG cars are all the rage these days.

While there could be multiple reasons behind Skoda’s decision to not launch the Rapid CNG, we try to break down the points from a general perspective.

End Of The Road For Rapid

One of the reasons the Rapid CNG was scrapped could be because the Rapid sedan was already nearing the end of its lifecycle. Now, the Rapid has been replaced by the Slavia, which is underpinned by the modern MQB A0-IN platform. 

What we can understand is that Skoda may have considered keeping the Rapid on sale alongside the new Slavia, but only as a CNG offering. The case in point is the 4th-gen City, which is currently on sale alongside the 5th-gen City.

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In addition to that, the 1.0L turbo petrol engine of the Volkswagen Group isn’t known for its low-end torque and driveability. Finding a good calibration for a CNG powertrain based on a turbo petrol engine is a task carmakers in India are yet to crack. It’s not to say that the CNG fuel isn’t compatible with turbo petrol engines. One example from the house of Skoda is the Octavia G-Tec, which comes with a 1.5L turbo petrol engine with CNG. However, it’s a product built from the ground up as a CNG offering with a much smaller petrol tank.

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As more and more carmakers are placing their bets on CNG offerings amidst rising fuel prices, we can expect Skoda India to join the trend soon enough. However, will Skoda choose the conventional conversion method or offer something exclusive like the Octavia G-Tec CNG? Only time will tell.

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