Maruti Suzuki Baleno Hybrid In The Beckoning?

The country’s car manufacturing frontrunner, Maruti Suzuki is closing in on half of the Indian market share, thanks to the increasing popularity of the likes of the Baleno. And it looks like the carmaker could take things a notch further by introducing the mild hybrid version of the car in India in the near future.

In its SHVS mild-hybrid avatar, the car was spotted at the company’s Manesar plant that manufactures cars for both domestic consumption and exports, reported NDTV Auto. In European markets, the SHVS technology works in tandem with the 1.2-litre DualJet petrol engine and can be easily adapted to the Indian landscape as well, with both the petrol and the 1.3-litre diesel.

The roadblock on this path, however, is the quickly mounting bookings for the Baleno in India that has led to waiting periods of close to six months in certain parts of the country. In order to reduce this gap between demand and supply, Maruti is planning to manufacture the Baleno at its upcoming plant in Gujarat, from early next year. And once the production stress is resolved, it is imperative for the automaker to introduce the hybrid Baleno in India as well.

What has made hybrids popular among car manufacturers is the lucrative set of subsidies that are offered under government schemes like the FAME India as a result of which car costs are cut down by around Rs 10,000-Rs 15,000. Maruti has already tasted success with the SHVS by fitting it on the Ciaz sedan and Ertiga MPV.

The SHVS technology incorporates the use of a secondary motor that assists in power generation and regeneration. It also enhances the combustion efficiency that leads to lower emissions and better mileage. The ARAI fuel efficiency figures of the Baleno diesel currently stand at around 27kmpl in India, while the SHVS, with the same engine on other Maruti cars, has achieved in excess of 28kmpl in real world conditions.

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