Are Maruti Suzuki’s Strong Hybrid Powertrains The Best Engine Options In 2024?

Climate change, carbon emissions, melting glaciers, the shrinking ozone layer – the world, as we know it, is choking! The need of the hour is immediate sustainability and Maruti Suzuki is spearheading that movement as it stands at the forefront of innovation with its Strong Hybrid technology. In search of greener mobility, Maruti Suzuki's strong hybrid vehicles, namely the Grand Vitara and Invicto, offer more than just a mode of mere transportation; they embody a commitment to environmental consciousness and cutting-edge engineering while bringing the best of both Internal Combustion and Electric Propulsion technologies.

Getting familiar

For the uninitiated, Maruti Suzuki's Strong Hybrid System represents a marriage of traditional and modern power sources. Combining an IC-engine with an electric motor powered by a Lithium-Ion battery on the Grand Vitara and a Ni-MH battery on the Invicto, this technology offers you to drive in a pure electric-only mode as well, emitting zero carbon emissions during operation. 

The system switches between the engine and electric motor or combines both based on the driving conditions for optimised performance and fuel efficiency. Moreover, there is no caveat of charging the battery externally, thanks to the self-charging technology and regenerative braking, which makes sure the battery remains charged at all times. So, no range anxiety here either!

Best of all worlds

The efficiency and environmental benefits of an electric powertrain, and the useability and power of an internal combustion engine: Maruti Suzuki’s strong hybrid tech offers the best of all worlds.

City & Highway King

Imagine – your daily commute to the office, even on the days when you set off earlier than others, starts off without you disturbing as little as a worm around you. The pure EV mode, depending on the available battery charge, disguises the car as a fully electric vehicle right from the start, in low load, low torque conditions and even when you’re cruising on a highway. 

Not only does this lower the CO2 emissions but also aid in fuel efficiency, thanks to the primary drive from the electric motor and the engine kicking in to juice up the battery. The system constantly adapts to varying driving conditions, optimising power delivery and maintaining a harmonious balance between the engine and electric motor, further aided by the smooth e-CVT transmission – ensuring peak efficiency and performance at all times. It even gets three driving modes - Eco, Normal and Power - which can be chosen as per the requirement. While Eco mode prioritises fuel efficiency, power mode puts performance first.

And that performance really shows when you put these strong hybrids through a challenge. Be it taking the family on serene countryside roads, through a slightly rough incline to your favourite hilltop resort, or just catering to your occasional spirited driving mood – the versatility of the hybrid powertrain knows no limitations. That’s because both the engine and electric motor come into play to give you the maximum power needed to tackle these obstacles. Isn’t that the best of both worlds?

Moreover, unlike non-hybrid IC powertrains or EVs that will have to stop and refuel or recharge, Maruti’s strong hybrids can do north of 1200 km on a single fuel tank*. So no unnecessary stops, until and unless it's nature's call!

*Fuel efficiency as certified by test agency under rule 115 of CMVR 1989. For Grand Vitara, with Fuel Tank capacity of 45L, range is 1258.65 km (45L x 27.97km/l); and For Invicto, with Fuel Tank capacity of 52L, range is 1208.48 km (52L x 23.24km/l).

Smooth operator

While you do get the efficiency and performance advantages of the hybrid system, you don’t have to sacrifice on refinement just because of the internal combustion engine component of the powertrain. 

These strong hybrids are paired to an e-CVT gearbox which is smoother than a hot knife through butter, so you can forget about any jerks. And it isn’t just the transmission that’s smooth but also the switch between the battery and the petrol engine. It is flawless, and you will only make out that the switch is actually happening via the energy flow display on the screens. 

So as an immediately viable sustainability solution, Maruti Suzuki’s strong hybrid tech delivers on all the fronts. It cuts down CO2 emissions, offers better fuel efficiency, and even offers a quieter drive experience. Not to mention the enhanced performance and no range anxiety issues.

Retrospection

Looking back at things, Maruti Suzuki has always been at the forefront when it comes to innovation and leadership in the automotive industry. They’ve proved the same from time to time, and did so again with the strong hybrid technology too. After all, the fight for a greener future starts today and Maruti Suzuki’s strong hybrid tech is our best weapon for it!