Maruti Suzuki will be giving an undisclosed number of the Swift Ranger Extender, the hybrid version of the regular hatchback as part of a pilot project. The company is awaiting orders from the government to supply the Swift hybrid hatchbacks as a part of the pilot plan; however, due to the upcoming elections, the project is most likely to start in the first quarter of the next fiscal year. The eco-friendly Swift Range Extender was showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo last month.
The Maruti Suzuki Swift Range Extender is powered by a 658cc inline; 3-cylinder engine borrowed from Suzuki and is coupled with a front-axle mounted 55 KW (74 HP) electric motor, which is powered by a 5 KwH lithium-ion battery. Power is sent to the front wheels via an automatic transmission. The company says that the production model has been developed in India. However, most of the major electric equipments like the battery, electric motor and other components have been sourced from Japan and other countries.
Maruti says that the homologation process of the Swift hybrid is nearly completed and the team is expecting the ARAI certification. The company’s internal tests claim a combined fuel efficiency of 48.2 km/l, which includes a 25.5 kms range from the electric motor with a fully charged battery. The battery takes nearly 1.5 hours to charge completely as per the company. The implementation of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan 2020 will also help the company reap benefits for its efforts, which can be passed on to the customers.
Based on the regular Swift, the Range Extender version will be priced significantly higher than the regular model. The hybrid model will be loaded with features like keyless entry, start-stop system, Bluetooth connectivity and much more. The Swift Hybrid is around 130 kgs heavier than the conventional model and the car’s gross weight tips the scales at around 1600 kgs. The commercial production of the Swift Range Extender would depend on the status of the pilot project.
Source – Autocar Pro
