Maruti Suzuki is planning to introduce mild and strong hybrid technology across its entire range in the next 5-7 years. The company’s Chief Technical Officer, CV Raman has revealed that “there will be no pure petrol powertrain across the range”. With the implementation of this strategy, Maruti Suzuki cars will get more fuel efficient and have lower carbon footprints. It will also help the brand meet the upcoming CAFÉ (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards.
Just so you know, the taxation rules on hybrid vehicles are strict in India. While taxes on hybrid cars are 43% (inclusive of GST), the electric vehicles (EVs) attract tax only 5%. The Indo-Japanese automaker will also expand its CNG range along with focus on ethanol and bio-CNG compliant models and battery electric vehicles. While the first Maruti Suzuki electric car is slated to arrive in 2025, it will bring in E20 material compliant vehicles by 2023.
For people not in the know, E20 is the blend of 20% ethanol and 80% petrol. According to the report released by the “Expert Committee on Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India by 2025”, there are specific responsibilities of Union Ministries, State Governments and car manufacturers for the production, supply and gradual introduction of 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025.
Maruti Suzuki’s upcoming mid-size SUV, which is slated to debut later this month, will be the brand’s first model to feature strong hybrid system. Similar to the recently-unveiled Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, the new Maruti SUV will come with the 1.5L TNGA Atkinson Cycle engine. The setup has a lithium-ion battery offering an electric only range of up to 25km. It will be offered with the AWD (all-wheel drive) system. The model will enter into production in the month of August at Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s Karnataka based facility.
