The Maruti Swift Hybrid is a car that combines the best of both worlds: the fuel efficiency of a hybrid and the performance of a petrol engine. The car is powered by a 1.2-liter petrol engine that is coupled with an electric motor and a battery pack. The electric motor puts out 13.5PS and 30Nm, while the petrol engine makes 91PS and 118Nm. The car is expected to have a mileage of 40 KMPL.
The Maruti Swift Hybrid was showcased at Auto Expo 2023. The car has a dual-tone sporty design that is sharp and purposeful, accentuated by the Sporty Cross Mesh Grille with Bold Chrome Accent, precision cut two-tone alloy wheels, and LED projector headlamps4. The car comes in nine exciting colors and four trims – Lxi, Vxi, Zxi, & Zxi+4.
Maruti Suzuki’s Smart Hybrid Technology is used in the Maruti Swift Hybrid. With Dual battery setup and ISG for torque assist, experience enhanced driving performance, better fuel efficiency, and much more with this eco-friendly technology.
The Maruti Swift Hybrid is expected to be priced at around Rs. 10 Lakh. However, the exact price of the car is not yet known as it has not been launched in India yet.
The expected launch date of the Maruti Swift Hybrid is September 2024. However, the exact date of the launch is not yet known as it has not been officially announced by Maruti Suzuki
Hybrid cars work by combining at least one electric motor with a petrol/diesel engine to move the car, and its system recaptures energy via regenerative braking. Sometimes the electric motor does all the work, sometimes it’s the gas engine, and sometimes they work together. The result is less petrol/diesel burned and, therefore, better fuel economy. Adding electric power can even boost performance in certain instances.
There are three types of hybrid vehicles: parallel hybrid, series hybrid, and plug-in hybrid.
Parallel Hybrid: In this most common design, the electric motor(s) and petrol/diesel engine are connected in a common transmission that blends the two power sources. That transmission can be an automatic, a manual, or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). One very popular hybrid transmission is a power-split CVT, which is used by the Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt. Transmission type and the size of the petrol/diesel engine are the main factors that determine how a parallel hybrid will accelerate, sound, and feel1. Brands that use the parallel design include Toyota, Lexus, Hyundai, Kia, Ford, Honda, Lincoln, Nissan, and Infiniti.
Series Hybrid: In this design, the electric motor(s) provide all the thrust, and there is never a physical mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels. The petrol/diesel engine is just there to recharge the battery. This results in a driving experience that’s more indicative of an electric car, with smoother, powerful acceleration. There’s typically less vibration when the petrol/diesel engine engages. However, that engagement doesn’t always happen in concert with what your right foot is doing (remember, the battery is making the demands), so the engine might be revving up while the car is cruising at a steady speed. The BMW i3 with the range extender is an example of a series hybrid.
Plug-In Hybrid: A plug-in hybrid enhances the conventional hybrid concept with a much larger battery pack that must be fully recharged using an external electricity source—from your home, office, or public charging station. This more noteworthy measure of energy stockpiling resembles a bigger fuel tank: It takes into account broadened all-electric driving (somewhere in the range of 15 and 55 miles relying upon the model) and can essentially lessen fuel utilization.
Advantages of Hybrid Cars
Hybrid cars have many advantages over traditional petrol / diesel-powered cars. Here are some of the advantages of hybrid cars:
Good for the environment: Hybrid cars are better for the environment than traditional petrol/diesel-powered cars because they produce fewer emissions. Since hybrid vehicles use an electric motor and a petrol/diesel engine, this cuts down on the amount of petrol/diesel which gets burned during the operation of the vehicle. This means that fewer carbon emissions will go into the environment.
Fuel efficient: Hybrid cars are very fuel-efficient compared to other vehicles. This is because hybrid cars use advanced technology and techniques to preserve as much fuel as possible. Hybrid cars use the technique of regenerative braking to save more fuel.
Financial incentives: The federal government provides a tax credit to residents of any state that own or lease a hybrid vehicle. There are also some states, like California, which offer cash rebates to any of its residents who purchase or lease a hybrid vehicle. With all these financial incentives, it could greatly reduce the overall cost of your vehicle.
Good resale value: Petrol/diesel prices fluctuate every year and can directly be affected by conflict in oil-producing countries as well as random issues at refineries which can temporarily halt fuel production. This is causing more people to turn to hybrid vehicles for either relief from gas prices or to not be so dependent on oil. As a result, people are willing to pay good money for even a used hybrid vehicle in good working condition.
Braking helps recharge the battery: When you step on the brake pedal in a hybrid vehicle, it will activate a mechanism that gives the battery a little extra recharge. This allows there to be more time before the next manual recharge that you need to perform.
Disadvantages of Hybrid Cars
Yes, there are some disadvantages to owning a hybrid car. Here are some of them:
Higher purchase price: Hybrid cars often cost more than traditional petrol/diesel-powered cars because of the extra costs of researching and implementing their technology.
Not as powerful: Hybrid cars are not as powerful as traditional petrol/diesel-powered cars because they use smaller engines and electric motors.
Costly maintenance and repairs: Hybrid cars require specialized maintenance and repairs which can be more expensive than traditional petrol/diesel-powered cars.
Bad handling: Hybrid cars can have bad handling because of their extra weight from the battery pack.
Electrocution risk in accidents: In the event of an accident, there is a risk of electrocution from the high-voltage battery in hybrid cars.
