- Maruti Suzuki is expected to introduce hybrid technology to its popular hatchback Swift.
Looking at building upon the growing acceptance of hybrid technology among Indian car buyers, Maruti Suzuki is reportedly planning to expand its hybrid lineup and the next model to get the tech will be the Maruti Suzuki Swift hatchback.
As per an industry source, Maruti Suzuki is readying to offer Swift hybrid in the Indian car market, complete with the promise of enhanced mileage. The Suzuki Swift Hybrid with a new Z series engine was previously launched in Japan in December of 2023. The powertrain adopts a newly developed Z12E 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine which gets paired with CVT and a 48V producing 82hp, 108 Nm. The mild hybrid technology here adds an extra three horsepower and 60 Nm to the output.
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Maruti Suzuki, the country’s largest carmaker, has been betting big on hybrid technology and offers its strong hybrid technology on the Grand Vitara and Invicto models. And even as it readies an EV for India for a 2025 launch, hybrids are predicted to be the mainstay for the company here. Shashank Srivastava, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales at MSIL, previously explained that he expects around 25 per cent of overall sales in the domestic Indian market to come from hybrid models by FY31. The company currently offers a total of seven models with two types of hybrid technology, Smart Hybrid and Intelligent Electric Hybrid.
According to Maruti Suzuki, the Smart Hybrid technology improves driving performance and fuel efficiency. In both manual and automatic gearboxes, the engine silently starts when the right conditions are reached and stops automatically when it is idle. It has two batteries, one of which is a lithium-ion battery.
Maruti Suzuki aims to take one more step with smart hybrid tech
While the company’s hybrid journey started off in 2015 with the Smart Hybrid system introduced in the Ciaz, the next step in MSIL’s hybrid journey was the Intelligent Electric Hybrid system which debuted with the Grand Vitara launched in 2022. At present, MSIL offers two models with the Intelligent Electric Hybrid system including the Invicto.
Shared with Toyota, the self-charging hybrid electric system uses a gasoline engine and an electric motor. The car can be propelled both by its electric power alone and in conjunction with its engine and electric motor. The energy produced when the driver hits the brakes or slows down is caught by the self-charging system and used to generate power while the car is being driven.
When the car is cruising, this kinetic energy is transformed into electrical energy and stored in a battery. The electrical energy that has been saved is released to help the vehicle when it needs extra power. The power control unit regulates this process on a very brief timescale.
First Published Date: 10 Jan 2024, 11:52 AM IST
