Honda Cars India is planning to launch the hybrid version of the fifth-generation City sedan sometime next year and it has been confirmed by Rajesh Goel, Senior Vice President, Honda Cars India in a recent interview. He noted that the hybrid spec City will be introduced in the next financial year (April 2022 to March 2023 period).
In India, the 2022 Honda City Hybrid could come with a class-leading fuel efficiency of around 27.7 kmpl as it is claimed to offer 27.8 kmpl in Thailand and 27.7 kmpl in Malaysia under the local testing conditions there. Comparing it with the real-world fuel economy of the regular City petrol, we can expect the mileage to be between 17 and 19 kmpl.
This will make the 2022 Honda City Hybrid one of the most fuel-efficient cars on sale upon arrival. So how will it be achieved? The 1.5-litre four-cylinder Atkinson Cycle engine produces a maximum power output of 98 horsepower while the electric motors are capable of 109 horsepower. No official figure on the combined power is available yet but the torque output stands at 253 Nm.
In comparison to the non-hybrid version, the City Hybrid is quicker by 0.5 seconds and it could become one of the most influential hybrids upon launch. An electric generator and an electric motor work in tandem as part of the hybrid system. The engine turns the generator while powering the electric motor to spin the wheels or send electricity to the Li-ion battery pack.
The Japanese manufacturer has opted not to use a conventional gearbox to increase fuel economy and it has disconnected the powertrain from the wheels too. Therefore, the wheels can run at one speed and the engine at some other speed when charging for the battery is required. In a hybrid system, 95 per cent of the energy saved as electrified is re-employed to the wheels.
The Honda City Hybrid is heavier than the regular 1.5-litre petrol engine equipped variant and since the battery is mounted at the back, 96 litres of trunk space is sacrificed as well. It is no secret that the hybridized City will be priced at a premium over the regular gasoline version and it could offer a range of new features to justify the price increase.
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