What kind of a rumor is that? Is it worth even considering such a case?
As per floating rumors, Mahindra could be working on an affordable hybrid two wheeler for the Indian market. They might offer battery packs+motor along with either petrol or LPG option.
Mahindra is not new to hybrids or hybrid technology. They showcased a Mahindra Scorpio SUV concept vehicle with hybrid powertrain at last year’ Auto Expo.
Some reports in the past claim this vehicle was meant primarily for the United States market where Mahindra will start selling its products next year.
Even if Mahindra was working on hybrid scooter or motorcycle, which price band would they choose to compete? Mahindra is a type of company which first decides on the competitor and then designs a product to wipe it out. Hybrid vehicles are costly to build as they involve additional parts and customers would also have to pay more to maintain them.
At the Suzuki stall in this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, you can expect to see a different kind of Swift. No, it’s not a sport model or a souped up 200hp version from a local tuner. It’s how a Suzuki Swift would and should evolve.
Suzuki will showcase a plug-in hybrid Swift at the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show. The concept will have lithium-ion battery pack mounted under the center console. This would mean rear passengers don’t have to cut their legs off to sit comfortably.
The engine on-board is not your regular Multijet or K-Series type. A 658cc gasoline engine powers the front-drive electric motor, which in-turn produces 74hp at the front axle. At no point will the engine drive the wheels.
The available details are scanty. We are expecting more information as we move closer to the show.
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This isn’t coming to India right now, but the Jazz hybrid is a very important model overseas. Honda’s Insight, which is a direct competitor to the Prius, has not done well in the U.S. Sales figures tell the shocking story – the Prius outsells the Insight by 6 times.
The Honda Fit hybrid has two tasks to perform
a) Act as a backup model to the under-performing Insight
b) Serve as the Toyota Auris (Corolla hatchback) hybrid slayer, which debuts at the Frankfurt Show next week.
We’ve been receiving so many complaints on the Jazz‘ price, so the hybrid model (if it ever comes to India) will thrill the Indian hybrid vehicle lovers (if there’s such a group) with its practicality and fuel-efficiency.
Inside Line is reporting Toyota’s working on a hybrid version of the current generation Corolla.
The 1.8-liter four cylinder engine is getting married to a motor and battery pack. The operation is being performed in Thailand where recently a Camry hybrid was also unveiled. The Thai government encourages hybrid vehicles and their development, offering financial boosts.
According to Autocar UK, in ten years time, every major Toyota would be hybridized in the interest of fuel economy and qualifying for benefits in developed countries with lower emission values. This applies to even the Hilux, which shares its architecture with the Innova and the soon to be launched Fortuner.
A Innova hybrid would not be a bad idea at all.
Light cars like the Aygo would forgo their advantage if they had a battery pack mounted. Such cars could go the fully-electric route.
Coming back to the Corolla hybrid, it will be interesting to see if they launch it in India, and it along with the Prius could make Toyota the first brand to take a major step in the hybrid front in India.
It was long known, that a Honda Jazz Hybrid is in the pipeline. What we hear of late is that, Honda will be bringing out two hybrid models next year into the Japanese market – a sportscoupe and the Jazz Hybrid. Both models will set sail to European and Asian markets, but no release schedule has been revealed.
Honda already produces the Civic Hybrid and Insight. With the addition of the new cars, Honda will enhance its lineup of compact hybrid models, which leverage the unique characteristics of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA), including compact size, lightweight and high efficiency.
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The Thai-assembled Toyota Camry hybrid which was displayed yesterday in a special ceremony will reportedly ship to India next year.
The Toyota Camry hybrid has its own tail lamp, headlamp and bumper, the three chief features apart from the ‘Hybrid Synergy Drive’ badge setting it apart from the regular petrol model. 9,000 of these cars will roll out of the Gateway plant in Thailand in the first phase with local deliveries scheduled in August.
This is not the first time we’re showing you a hybrid Camry on Indian Autos Blog. Don’t think so? Check out the Toyota Camry HC-CV from the Melbourne Motor Show earlier this year.
The automobile engineering under the skin of this Camry is surprisingly still hidden from the media. Whether the U.S Toyota Camry‘s 2.4 liter-engine producing 147 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 187Nm of torque at 4,400rpm, paired to a 30kW (40 horses) electric motor with 270Nm of torque goes for the Thai Camry is anybody’s guess.
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Tip of the day – The Honda Jazz hybrid’s price is what we Indians are going to pay for the 1.2-liter petrol model.
Honda‘s renewed commitment to the environment is known to us right from the time of the first Insight to the recent Civic hybrid, working for long hours in laboratories, fighting their way through the barriers namely weight, density, Toyota Prius, cost and what not.
The next car with hybrid technology to don the Honda badge is none other than the hugely successful Honda Jazz. The nature of the powertrain at this juncture is unknown. It might use the Insight’s motor and battery pack or Honda could have developed one specifically for this car.
Nevertheless Honda decided to revise the launch date of the Honda Jazz hybrid after seeing the demand for fuel efficient cars. The revised date as of now stands at autumn of 2010, about a year and half ahead of the original schedule.
This is a rare occurrence. To me these guys were competitors and not potential partners or never have I envisaged a concept of them coming together before. Recession has forced a lot of manufacturers to tie-up with each other and develop cars and technology to shave costs. In India, recession hasn’t caused this occurrence for sure.
They say sometimes reality can be stranger than fiction.
India Automotive reports Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and Maruti Suzuki will collaborate to develop hybrid technology. They will then have the license to incorporate them into their products.
The trio will venture into making lithium-ion batteries, controller and electric motor technologies, essential components of a hybrid powertrain. The partnership will be governed by by I V Rao, R&D chief of Maruti Suzuki and additionally charged with the post of chairman of the committee on National Hybrid Propulsion Programme.
Mahindra’s hybrid vehicle dreams began with the Scorpio hybrid which is production ready. Tata Motors has the electric vehicle technology which looks promising on the Indica Vista EV and the Indica EV.
Maruti Suzuki hasn’t shown interest in developing hybrid or electric cars in the past, but this is a good place to start as hybrid vehicles are undeniably the next phase of evolution in the automobile industry. The three are committed to making the most out of this partnership and the results will be displayed during the Commonwealth games next year.
