Gulati says India’s strengths in alternative fuels and cleaner ICE can provide a template for sustainable mobility beyond developed markets
22 Jan 2026 | 280 Views | By Ketan Thakkar and Anurag Chaturvedi
As India accelerates its push towards cleaner mobility, Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice-President of Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said that making internal combustion engines (ICE) greener could emerge as a ‘strong strategic advantage’ for India and be the role model for ‘the Global South’, where full electrification remains challenging.
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As India accelerates its push towards cleaner mobility, Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice-President of Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said that making internal combustion engines (ICE) greener could emerge as a ‘strong strategic advantage’ for India and be the role model for ‘the Global South’, where full electrification remains challenging.
The comments come at a time when there is a practical recalibration underway across policymakers and automakers, from a hard push towards zero-emission electric vehicles to a multi-path powertrain world, a factor that Toyota Motor has been stressing to offer accessible mobility for all.
Speaking at the unveiling of Urban Cruiser Ebella, Toyota’s first pure electric vehicle for India, Gulati told Autocar Professional that while battery-electric vehicles are an important part of the future, a one-size-fits-all transition is neither practical nor equitable for India’s market realities.
“Green ICE can become a strong USP for India, especially for the global south, where electrification may be difficult,” Gulati said.
India’s diversity in terms of consumer income levels, infrastructure availability, and energy access has made the transition debate fundamentally different from developed markets.
Gulati said these key factors naturally lend themselves to multiple green technology alternatives, allowing consumers to choose a mobility solution best suited to their needs rather than being pushed toward a single technology.
From a policy standpoint, he noted that the government has already signalled this direction through parallel initiatives on ethanol blending, compressed biogas, hydrogen, and electrification, all aimed at reducing emissions while improving energy self-reliance.
“If the focus on the energy side is going to be multiple green pathways, it will naturally translate into multiple green technology offerings from the industry,” he said.
The comments underline a changing perspective on the relevance of existing powertrain technologies.
Gulati stressed that ICE technology should no longer be viewed as incompatible with sustainability, noting that it can operate on a range of cleaner fuels and blends, making it flexible, scalable, and affordable.
“ICE is no longer a technology that is not green, simply because it offers multiple options that are greener, more affordable, and closer to the consumer,” he said.
India, he said, has structural advantages that could allow it to shape a distinct green mobility playbook for emerging markets.
These include the country’s ethanol availability, growing waste-to-fuel ecosystem, and expanding renewable energy base, which can also support future hydrogen applications.
“Leveraging our strength in ICE while making it greener is a powerful opportunity for the country,” Gulati said.
For the automotive industry, the approach also accounts for existing investments, supply chains, and consumer preferences. The EVs accounted for about 4.6% of overall passenger vehicle sales in 2025, while the market grew at a strong double-digit rate, but the penetration was still lower than expected, despite new models and expanded infrastructure.
Gulati said revenues from ICE vehicles will remain critical to funding the transition to newer technologies, including electrification, especially as demand-based EV incentives cannot continue indefinitely.
He added that this balanced approach is particularly relevant for emerging markets where motorisation is still at a relatively early stage, and affordability remains a primary concern.
“For the global south, where motorisation is just beginning, and infrastructure challenges exist, green ICE can offer a practical and scalable solution,” he said.
Toyota’s position reinforces its long-standing advocacy of technology neutrality in policy and market development.
The company will continue to pursue a multi-technology strategy spanning battery-electric vehicles, hybrids, alternative fuels, and cleaner ICEs, providing flexibility for both manufacturers and consumers.
“The future is clearly not one technology. It is about offering choice to the consumer while steadily moving toward greener mobility,” Gulati said.