Maruti will be looking at getting multiple hybrid cars – SCOOP

It isn’t just Mahindra & Mahindra that is preparing to introduce hybrid cars in their next-generation vehicles, even Maruti Suzuki is gearing up to introduce the next-generation products with a hybrid powertrain. Maruti Suzuki’s next-gen Swift, Wagon R and other several products shall be getting hybrid powertrains.

The next-generation Wagon R, which is due to be launched next year will be having a hybrid version too. In the initial stages of the launch only the five-door, five-seater Wagon R will be introduced. Later on the seven-seater version shall follow. Suzuki has been working on hybrid powertrains, especially at manufacturing them at a substantially lower cost in India. This will help the brand to export small cars with gasoline and hybrid powertrains to Europe, where the cost to produce a hybrid powertrain is high. Similarly, even higher Japanese wages means the cost of production will be higher.

In India, the company is setting up its own plant in Gujarat, which will be a complete subsidiary of Suzuki and no involvement of Maruti. We could expect Suzuki to produce hybrid vehicles in this plant. The Swift and the Wagon R both will have the same 660cc engine with a hybrid powertrain.

The 660cc engine will be the same engine that will also power the new-generation Alto that is due to be launched in 2017. Maruti Suzuki will be utilising this engine across its portfolio and shall have turbo and non-turbo (naturally aspirated) engine options depending the vehicle’s size and price tag. This engine is commonly used by the company in Japan and is due to come to India sometime next year.