Maruti To Launch Swift Hybrid-like Strong Hybrids And EVs In India

The carmaker already offers mild-hybrid and CNG cars in the country as part of its ‘Mission Green Million’

At the unveiling of the Futuro-e concept, Maruti also unveiled its plans for India. The carmaker intends to launch strong hybrids and EVs in the country. Maruti already has mild-hybrid and CNG vehicles in its product portfolio.

Talking about strong hybrids, Maruti has showcased the Swift hybrid at Auto Expo 2020. The Swift hybrid is powered by a combination of a 1.2-litre petrol engine and an electric motor (MGU: motor generator unit) mated to a 5-speed AMT with paddle shifters. 

The 1.2-litre (K12C) petrol engine used on the Swift hybrid makes 91PS/118Nm. In India, the Swift petrol gets the K12B engine, a 1197cc unit that makes 83PS/113Nm. Thanks to the hybrid system, the greenified Swift has a fuel economy of 32kmpl (Japanese-cycle), which is 10kmpl more than the standard Swift petrol’s 21.21kmpl. It is also around 4kmpl more efficient than the diesel Swift, which won’t be available in the BS6 era. 

Maruti already offers the above mentioned K12C petrol engine with a mild-hybrid system in the Baleno that makes 90PS/113Nm. If we compare the two, the Swift hybrid makes 1PS/5Nm more than the Baleno. It also has a higher fuel economy. The Baleno hybrid has a fuel economy of 23.87kmpl -- 8.13kmpl less than the Swift hybrid.

Although, Maruti has no plans of launching the Swift hybrid in India but it gives us a glimpse of its future plans. Maruti seeks to launch a strong hybrid in India by 2021, most likely after its battery production facility in Gujarat comes to life next year. The introduction of strong hybrids will help Maruti fill the void that has been created due to the departure of diesel engines from its portfolio. 

As far as EVs are concerned, Maruti has not yet confirmed the launch date of its first EV. It is expected to be an entry-level sub-4m EV like the Mahindra e-KUV100 and the slightly bigger Tata Nexon EV. The carmaker is currently testing a prototype EV based on the WagonR in the country. Maruti’s first-ever EV should at least offer over 200km of range.  

Also Read: Mahindra e-KUV100 Launched At Auto Expo 2020