Maruti And Suzuki To Develop Low-Cost Hybrid Cars

With the hybrid cars to take centre stage in the future, Maruti Suzuki is working on developing eco-friendly compact cars. The company stated that development of smaller cars with hybrid technology is the area of big interest.

Maruti Suzuki India Chairman R C Bhargava stated that the company is trying to exploit the space for smaller cars with green technology as the bigger companies are focusing on bigger cars.

Currently, Maruti Suzuki offers the Ertiga MPV and Ciaz premium sedan with the mild hybrid technology in the Indian market.

Bhargava said, "In India it makes sense for hybrid technology for the smaller car because today globally there is no hybrid technology for small cars or low-cost car and that I think is needs to be developed. We, Maruti and Suzuki, are working on it."

Maruti Suzuki accounts for 47 percent of the passenger car market in India with over 15 models in its product portfolio and aims to sell 20 lakh units a year by 2020.

Commenting on the export strategy of the Maruti Suzuki models to the Japanese market, Bhargava stated that the company will assess the response for India-made Baleno hatchback.

He added, "We will have to first look at the response for Baleno. It usually takes a year after the start of exports to ascertain the response for a particular model in a country."

Maruti Suzuki India has exported 2,300 India-made Baleno o the Japanese market to date. Speaking about new export markets he was bullish on the African market.

He further said, "Africa in my mind, in times to come, offers great potential for the car market because the income levels in Africa will not be high in the years to come and they would like to buy affordable cars."

He also stated that manufacturing facilities could be set up in such export markets if the company receives such a demand for its vehicles.