Lexus LM 350h becomes first car in India to get WLTP certification

Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) has issued India’s first Worldwide Harmonized Light Duty Test Procedure (WLTP) compliance certificate under AIS:175 to Toyota Kirloskar Motor for the Lexus LM 350h and its variants.

The certification comes around a year before WLTP compliance becomes mandatory in India for M1 and M2 category vehicles. These include passenger cars and commercial passenger buses and vans with a gross weight of under 5 tonnes. The regulation is scheduled to come into force from April 1, 2027.

1. Lexus LM 350h becomes first WLTP-certified model in India
2. Certification issued under AIS:175 standard
3. WLTP compliance to become mandatory from April 2027

Toyota secures certification ahead of mandate

Toyota Kirloskar Motor voluntarily pursued the certification ahead of the regulatory deadline, becoming the first automaker in India to comply with the upcoming standard.

The certificate was formally presented by Dr. Reji Mathai, Director at ARAI, to Abhay Kulkarni, General Manager at Toyota Kirloskar Motor, during a programme organized for the occasion.

The Lexus LM 350h is a hybrid luxury MPV sold under Toyota’s Lexus brand. ARAI said the certification marks an important step towards the implementation of globally harmonized vehicle testing standards in India.

What is WLTP 

The Worldwide Harmonized Light Duty Test Procedure (WLTP) is a globally standardized method used to measure fuel consumption, energy consumption and exhaust emissions. The system was developed under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and is already used in markets such as Europe, Japan and South Korea.

WLTP will replace older testing procedures such as the Modified Indian Driving Cycle (MIDC), which had been criticized for producing results that did not accurately reflect real-world driving conditions. Compared to older systems, WLTP uses a more dynamic test cycle and factors in variables such as optional equipment, weight and aerodynamics.

India’s adoption of WLTP under AIS:175 is aimed at bringing local testing standards closer to international norms and improving the accuracy and comparability of efficiency and emissions data.

With the April 2027 deadline now firmly on the horizon, other manufacturers are expected to initiate WLTP compliance processes for their vehicle portfolios.