India’s largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki is preparing hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) in collaboration with Toyota Motor Corporation. The new HEVs will be charged on the run, and will be independent of power supply from roadside infrastructure.
Rahul Bharti, Executive Director, Corporate Planning and Government Affairs said that Toyota and Suzuki JV is jointly preparing some electric vehicles and these prototypes will be tested starting next month along with Toyota. He said that the JV will get more consumer feedback on usage patterns. Mr. Rahul urged that till the time charging infrastructure grows in India you will need self-charging machines. THe company will introduce hybrid electric vehicles.
In hybrid electric vehicles, an internal combustion engine (ICE) provides energy to the batteries besides wheel rotation. These powertrain system offers higher mileage than a pure ICE car. MSIL believes that the hybrid powertrain is a strong technology for the next 10-15 years, as it has no dependence on external charging infrastructure and offers a good reduction in emissions.
For people not in the know, Suzuki has launched the Swace hybrid in Europe. It is based on the Toyota Corolla estate, and features a 3.6 kW battery and a 1.8L petrol engine. The JV offers a mileage of 27kmpl.
Maruti Suzuki is currently testing 50 modified battery-powered Wagon R cars across the country. The Indo-Japanese brand will enter the pure EV space in financial year 2025. It will first launch in India, which will be followed by Europe and Japan. The report further claims that the new Suzuki EV could be priced around $13,700, which is approximately Rs 10 lakhs.
Maruti WagonR EV
Maruti Suzuki is currently testing the WagonR EV on the Indian roads. The electric vehicle is likely to be equipped with a 72 volt electric drive with a 10-25 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. It is likely to offer a driving range of around 180km on a single charge. The hatchback is likely to come with a fast charging option that can charge up to 80% in less than 1 hour.
