All vehicles with an engine, including hybrids, mandatorily need to undergo a PUC test.
Do we need a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate for hybrid cars too? If yes, how can I obtain one if my Maruti Grand Vitara always starts in EV mode?
Tushar, Indore
Autocar India says: Yes, according to the law, all vehicles with an internal combustion engine (ICE), including hybrids, need to undergo a Pollution Under Control (PUC) test every six to twelve months, depending on the state. The procedure to conduct it on a hybrid is a bit more complex than on regular cars since these vehicles usually start in full-electric mode. To simplify this, here’s a detailed procedure that you must follow, which is also listed in your car’s owner’s manual:
- Turn the ignition to ON (press start/stop button without depressing the brake pedal)
- With the shift lever to P, fully depress the accelerator pedal twice
- Move the shift lever to N, and again fully depress the accelerator pedal twice
- Move the shift lever to P, and once again fully depress the accelerator pedal twice
- Press the engine start button to fire up the engine, while depressing the brake pedal
- Look for a ‘2WD maintenance mode’ message on the multi-information display
- After the PUC test is complete, switch off the engine and wait for 30 seconds before restarting the vehicle
- The vehicle should start normally, and the ‘2WD maintenance mode’ sign will disappear
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