The Maruti Suzuki Swift Strong Hybrid, as opposed to “Mild Hybrid”, brings a more potent punch.
The Maruti Suzuki Swift has been a bestseller for the popular company, one that brought the hatchback market alive when it first arrived in the middle of the last decade. The Maruti Suzuki Swift Strong Hybrid aims to take the baton and sprint into the next decade with cleaner, greener technology as well as a significant performance boost when it comes to both acceleration and efficiency.
The Swift Strong Hybrid packs a parallel hybrid system combining the K12C 1.2-litre DualJet petrol engine with 91 hp of peak output available at 6,000 rpm and 118 Nm of torque peaking at 4,400 rpm, with a lithium-ion battery pack and 10-kW (14 hp) electric motor capable of a torque output of 30 Nm. The combined effort — 105 hp and 148 Nm — should see smooth, linear and more effortless acceleration with a claimed fuel efficiency of 32 km/l. The company hasn’t specified the energy capacity of the battery but has mentioned that the Swift Hybrid will be capable of pure electric drive. The “Strong Hybrid” system also performs all the function its mild counterpart does including idle start/stop, torque assist, regenerative braking and electric vehicle mode in combination.
The new Swift Strong Hybrid still measures a familiar 3,840 millimetres long with a width of 1,695 mm and height of 1,500 mm, with a wheelbase measuring 2,450 mm. The Swift Strong Hybrid is presently available in Japan but, clearly, Maruti Suzuki intend to introduce vehicles with enhanced Strong Hybrid technology based on similar architecture. These will further reduce fuel consumption and emissions with their increased fuel efficiency. In line with the vision of Mission Green Million, the company aims to offer affordable hybrid technologies and gradually move consumers towards electrified powertrains. When introduced, it should be priced only a fraction up on the existing model.
