2016 Auto Expo: Seven Hybrid/Electric Cars you shouldn’t miss

Volkswagen Passat GTE

Coping with the emissions scandal, Volkswagen seems to take the hybrid route to solve its exhaust problems. The German carmaker showcased the Passat GTE with plug-in hybrid technology that was first seen on the XL1. The turbocharged petrol engine makes 156PS of power in this guise, and is coupled to an electric motor that produces about 62PS of power on its own. Powering the electric motor is a 9.9kWh lithium-ion battery that sits under the rear seat. With a combined output of 218 PS, the two power sources can power the car to a massive 1000km range.

Toyota Prius

As a part of its Toyota India Eco Vision, the Japanese carmaker also jumped on the green bandwagon with the all-new Prius in India during the media days of the Auto Expo. The new Prius will be powered by the 1.8-litre petrol engine that is available globally. The hybrid components are now smaller, including a new lithium-ion hybrid battery which now is placed underneath the rear seats instead of below the luggage area in the trunk. Transmission duties will be taken care of by a CVT box.

Mahindra e2o Sport

Along with the XUV Aero concept and the much-awaited SsangYong Tivoli, Mahindra also rolled out a sportier version of its all electric car, the e2o. The two-seater from the Indian carmaker was unveiled with new colourful decals, lower ground clearance, side skirts, a set of alloy wheels and more. With power of 80kW the e2o can do the 0-100kmph dash in 8 seconds. The range too has been increased to 200km.

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Nissan X-Trail Hybrid

While the GT-R may have attracted the highest number of eyeballs at the Nissan pavilion in Greater Noida, the hybrid version of its premium SUV X-Trail also garnered plenty of attention. Housing a 2-litre petrol engine, teamed up with a 40.5PS motor, under the hood, this set of wheels churns out 185.5PS of power when mated to the X-Tronic CVT gearbox.

Toyota Mirai

Toyota’s was one of the busiest pavilions when it came to hybrid vehicles. Apart from the Prius, they had plenty of other hybrid vehicles on display as well, including the Mirai. The Toyota Mirai is a fuel cell vehicle that generates power from a chemical reaction achieved by combining hydrogen and oxygen to produce energy. This energy is used to run the motor and provide driving power to the vehicle. The interesting thing about hydrogen fuel cells is that the only by-product which gets emitted is water vapour. The Mirai is thus a pretty eco-friendly car, a result of the technology that Toyota has been working on since multiple decades.

Hyundai Sonata

The Tucson has been the highlight at Hyundai’s stalls during the Auto Expo but for the hybrid car enthusiast, it was the 2016 Sonata plug-in hybrid sedan that was the talking point. The car is said to be 21 percent more efficient than the earlier version, incorporating smart technology to reduce power cost, as well as carbon footprints. Under the hood is a 2.0-litre four cylinder petrol engine developing 156PS of power and 190Nm of torque - but if you think the car won’t be torquey, a 52PS electric motor with enough torque to give you a quick start is there to supplement the petrol engine.

Honda Accord

Honda rolled out the ninth generation of its full-size sedan, the Accord during the expo. But what is interesting to note is that the car will come in a hybrid avatar. Under the hood, the Accord Hybrid is powered by a 2.0-liter inline four cylinder gasoline engine making 142.9PS and 165Nm. In partnership with an AC Synchronous Permanent Magnet electric motor, the engine churns out a combined system output of 198.7PS. Power is sent to the wheels through an E-CVT gearbox.