NEW DELHI: If you are planning to buy a hybrid car, do so before the GST regime kicks in from next month. Hybrids will be expensive by anywhere between Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 45 lakh after the higher tax burden on these vehicles in the new tax structure.Companies say they are left with no option but to pass on the higher costs to consumers.They have petitioned the government for relief but have not got a positive response so far. The biggest impact will be on BMW i8, the stylish sports hybrid from the German luxury maker that hit Indian roads in 2015. Company officials said the model will be costlier “by at least Rs 45 lakh” from next month. “It can be even more. We are working on details.”But while i8 — currently priced at Rs 2.14 crore (ex-showroom Delhi) — is not a volume model and hardly registers any notable sales, there are other volume-driven hybrids which will pinch the pockets of many prospective buyers.Maruti Suzuki’s Ciaz sedan and Ertiga multi-purpose, which have witnessed a strong demand for diesel variants that are sold as mild hybrids, will see a hike of at least Rs 1.5 lakh in the new tax structure, if the company decides to pass on the entire burden to consumers.Existing tax benefit on these models, due to their hybrid status, is the major reason for their success vis-a-vis competition. Now, without this sop, officials fear that it may be challenging to hold on to the lead.In the new GST structure announced last month, the cumulative duty on hybrid cars went up to 43% against the approximate 30% (cumulative) duty mandated in the current tax regime. While the tax benefit was meant for hybrid vehicles , the government thinks that diesel engine-fitted mild hybrids cornered a large chunk of this benefit by merely installing a ‘start-stop switch’ and ‘a larger battery’.It fixed a 12% duty for electric cars to encourage their usage under GST regime.After the announcement of new tax rates last month, Maruti chairman R C Bhargava had criticised the measure, especially as it put them on a par with other cars such as large SUVs or bigger sedans. Toyota has also been critical of the government’s move as it will take the sheen off its Camry hybrid.Shekar Viswanathan, vice-chairman and director at Toyota Kirloskar Motors, said, “We need to recognise the fact that strong hybrids are basically electric vehicles which also run on gasoline. They are a useful intermediate step for better adoption of electric mobility.” M&M MD Pawan Goenka says, “I do expect some price increase for hybrid Scorpio.”