Upcoming Hybrid Vehicles In India — Time To Add Some Clean Electric Power

With growing priority over clean and green environment, India wants to embrace the hybrid technology, here are the upcoming hybrid vehicles in India with its expected launch date, and price.

Published: Tuesday, December 6, 2016, 13:35 [IST]

The environment has been facing a severe onslaught of pollution and the global warming has only increased in the recent past. Countries world over are looking at alternatives to reduce pollution levels in their country.

Upcoming Hybrid Vehicles In India — Time To Add Some Clean Electric Power

India has been encouraging vehicle manufacturers to develop and produce alternatively powered vehicles in the country. The Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric vehicles (FAME) scheme by the government emphasiseits focus on reducing the pollution in the country. Here are the upcoming hybrid vehicles in India which is expected to contribute towards cleaner air that we breathe.

Hyundai Verna

Hyundai is all set to facelift the Verna and launch it in India in 2017. The Verna has been facing stiff competition from models such as Maruti Ciaz and Honda City and Hyundai will look to add some fire power to the premium sedan.

The South-Korean automaker will bring the mild-hybrid technology to the facelifted Verna in India. This is similar to the Maruti Ciaz which uses the Smart Hybrid Vehicle of Suzuki (SHVS). The mild-hybrid is an added electric motor to the internal combustion or petrol engine, which will regenerate energy from braking.

Expected Launch: Late 2017
Expected Price: Rs 10 to 15 lakh

Toyota Innova

While the current Toyota Innova Crysta comes with 2.4- and 2.8-litre diesel engines, the petrol engine is a 2.7-litre mill. With the recent ban (which has been removed) on diesel vehicles over 2000cc, the Innova Crysta could lose outto competition.

Toyota will look to add a hybrid variant to it best-selling vehicle in India. We expect a mild version of the hybrid Innova Crysta, though it is not clear if this will come with the petrol or the diesel unit.

Expected Launch: Late 2017
Expected Price: Rs 15 to 20 lakh

Toyota Fortuner

While the Toyota Innova Crysta is being readied with a mild hybrid technology, the same logic will be applied for its SUV Fortuner as well.

Toyota is offering the new Fortuner in India in both diesel and petrol units, hence adding a mild hybrid technology to the Fortuner will help reduce the price of the SUV.

Expected Launch: Late 2017
Expected Price: Rs 25 to 30 lakh

Toyota Prius

Toyota will not just bring the mild-hybrid technology to India, but even the fully hybrid technology as well. This will be through its new Prius hybrid vehicle.

The new Toyota Prius was showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo in Delhi and is expected to come to India early next year. The Toyota Prius is powered by a 1.8-litre petrol engine which produces 96bhp and 142Nm of torque, while an electric motor will add to the powertrain of the Prius which produces 71bhp and 163Nm of torque.

Expected Launch: January 2017
Expected Price: Rs 30 to 40 lakh

Nissan X-Trail

The Nissan X-Trail is not new to India, the next-generation X-Trail will be launched later in 2017 and is touted to be the first hybrid SUV in India.

Nissan has revealed the specifications of the X-Trail hybrid which will be powered by the 2.0-litre petrol engine and an electric motor which will be paired with the CVT gearbox. While the petrol engine produces 141bhp and 200Nm of torque, the electric motor which churnsout 40bhp of power.

Expected Launch: March 2017
Expected Price: Rs 32 to 35 lakh

Volkswagen Passat GTE

Volkswagen was embroiled in the diesel gate scandal and one of the largest car makers in the world is looking steer away from the scandal and offer environmentally conscious vehicles.

In India, Volkswagen will offer the Passat GTE in the hybrid version with the 1.4-litre Tsi engine producing 151bhp and the electric motor which churns out 112bhp. This powertrain will be mated to a 6-speed DSG automatic gearbox.

Expected Launch: Early 2017
Expected Price: Rs 30 to 35 lakh

Hyundai Ioniq

Hyundai offers the Ioniq in three powertrains - hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric. The South-Korean automaker will launch either the hybrid or the plug-in hybrid in India.

The hybrid version of the Ioniq is powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine which produces 105bhp and 147Nm of torque. The electric motor will churn out 60bhp of power and both the motors will be mated to a 6-speed DCT gearbox.

Expected Launch: January 2017
Expected Price: Rs 9 to 15 lakh

Apart from these upcoming hybrids in India, other expected hybrid cars in India will be Maruti's new Swift, Baleno RS and the Ignis. Also, chances are that Honda could bring the mild-hybrid version of the City.