New Maruti Suzuki Swift Hybrid India-bound?

32kmpl. From a car that will not cost you your kidneys. Just think about it.

No, it’s not a fantasy - this is what the Suzuki Swift Hybrid promises to offer customers back in its home base in Japan. Maruti showcased it at the 2018 Auto Expo to gauge interest and they have shown it again at the 2018 Indonesian Auto Show (complete coverage of this year’s show here).

The Swift Hybrid is powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine paired to an MGU-E (motor generator unit - electric). The 1.2-litre K12C engine in the Swift Hybrid is not the same as the 1.2-litre K12B engine in the petrol-powered Swift sold in India. The K12C motor develops 8PS more power and 5Nm more torque with a more fuel-efficient combustion cycle.

The MGU-E produces an additional 13.6PS of maximum power and 30Nm of peak torque drawing power from a 100V lithium-ion battery pack, which eats up most of the space in the boot. The MGU-E acts like a powerful torque fill device, assisting the motor in high load conditions to improve efficiency.

This setup is much cheaper to manufacture, making the Swift Hybrid cost just over Rs 1.6 lakh more than the non-hybrid variants. While mass production of hybrid powertrains in Japan makes such competitive pricing possible, it would take a significant amount of demand here for Maruti to consider launching the Swift Hybrid on our shores.

Introducing hybrid-powered cars would make a lot of sense though. Stringent CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) norms from 2022 and the increasing popularity of petrol-powered cars in India would force the hand of manufacturers, including that of Maruti, to introduce electric/hybrid cars in the near future. While mild-hybrid powertrains like the upcoming Ciaz’s 1.5-litre petrol-hybrid engine may be enough for the time being, a proper hybrid powertrain is going to be more beneficial for everyone in the long run.