Suzuki confirms development of own strong hybrid powertrain for future models

Maruti Suzuki will continue to use Toyota-supplied strong hybrid tech for its high-end hybrid models.

Published On Aug 22, 2024 05:00:00 PM

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Maruti's Fronx will be the first to get the series hybrid tech.

Maruti Suzuki has confirmed that it will use its own strong hybrid powertrain for future low- and mid-level hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). The company’s high-end hybrid SUVs will continue to have powertrains supplied by its partner, Toyota.

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Autocar India earlier reported that Maruti would introduce its own strong hybrid powertrain in the near future. A senior company executive recently corroborated this at an analyst call, “As for HEVs, we have already been supplied with THS (Toyota Hybrid System) models from Toyota, but we will use our own strong HEVs or mild HEVs while balancing appropriate models.”

The Fronx facelift which is due next year will be the first model to get Maruti's in-house strong hybrid tech. The Z12E engine that made its debut on the new Swift will be coupled with strong hybrid tech will be used on the Fronx. Future models, such as the next-gen Baleno, will also benefit from this setup.

However, Maruti’s HEV powertrain will not be similar to Toyota’s series-parallel hybrid system. The country’s largest automaker will offer a series hybrid setup, which will be significantly cheaper. In this system, which is also called the “range extender”, the petrol powerplant works only as a generator, so instead of directly moving the vehicle, the system produces electricity to power an electric motor that, in turn, drives the wheels.

Simply put, the internal combustion engine works as a generator to keep recharging the EV’s battery pack. Nissan has been using this technology in some of its models, including the Note hatchback, which was also tested extensively in India.

Maruti Suzuki has received a great response for its Grand Vitara hybrid equipped with THS. The same petrol-hybrid powertrain that will also power an all-new three-row SUV based on the Grand Vitara. It also sells the Innova Hycross-based Invicto, which comes with THS hybrid tech.

And once Maruti introduces its in-house HEV powertrain, it will have pure petrol, petrol mild hybrid, petrol strong hybrid (series), petrol strong hybrid (Toyota supplied), petrol-CNG and pure EV powertrain options across its line-up of cars, SUVs and MPVs.

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