Maruti Suzuki will launch its first Electric Car in India next year and already testing the prototype of 50 Wagon R EV, showcased Solio Hybrid at 2019 FMS
Earlier this week, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has inaugurated Future Mobility Show 2019. With the key initiative being promoting green mobility and future mobility solutions that are cleaner as well as safer, the exhibition has kicked off at Bengaluru and Maruti Suzuki India Limited has made its presence felt by displaying the Wagon R EV prototype and Solio Hybrid.
At the Future Mobility Conference, the need for zero-emission vehicles, multiple charging facilities and infrastructure, and strong e-mobility strategies were discussed. The Suzuki-Toyota partnership holds importance for global markets as well as India and electric mobility solutions play an integral role in it with hybridisation and other alternative fuel sources such as CNG are widely studied for future use.
Maruti Suzuki will be introducing its first all-electric vehicle in the domestic market next year. Ahead of which the brand revealed Wagon R EV at the MOVE Summit in New Delhi in September 2018 before commencing the testing of 50 prototypes the following month for real world evaluation. Developed by parent Suzuki in its HQ in Japan, they are manufactured at Maruti Suzuki’s Gurugram plant in Haryana after being brought into the country via CKD channel.
The Wagon R EV prototype has JDM-spec exterior and is said to derive power from a 72 volt system with 10 to 25 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The Solio, on the other hand, is a mini MPV that was spied testing in India several times last year. It made its local debut way back in 2012 at the Auto Expo and has a traditional boxy styling as the Wagon R.
The five-seater MPV has a length of below four metres and it has sliding rear doors. Sold in select markets like Japan, the Solio uses a 1.2-litre petrol engine from Swift incorporated with hybrid technology. The powertrain produces a maximum of 91 bhp and 118 Nm and is connected to a five-speed AMT transmission.
The Suzuki Solio Hybrid also has a decently well put together interior in Japan with a list of premium features including touchscreen infotainment system, multi-functional steering wheel with integrated controls, and so on. Whether the Solio Hybrid is part of Maruti Suzuki’s future domestic lineup or not is yet unknown but it’s banking big on CNG technology in the coming years.
