Maruti Suzuki to demonstrate 10 hybrid vehicles in CW games

Country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India today said it is working on hybrid vehicles, which are expected to be demonstrated in the Commonwealth Games next year, as part of a hybrid development project by the government.

The government has initiated a national hybrid project under public-private-partnership mode (PPP) to develop hybrid vehicles in the country and many leading auto makers, including Maruti Suzuki India (MSI), Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, TVS and Bajaj, are participating in it.

"Indian government has put in money for developing hybrid vehicles through the National Hybrid Project and we have also joined that process. Our team is working on that and we will demonstrate the first hybrid vehicle in the Commonwealth Games in the next year," MSI Managing Director and CEO Shinzo Nakanishi told reporters here.

Elaborating on the government project, MSI Chief General Manager (Engineering, Research, Design & Development) C V Raman said: "Each manufacturer has to demonstrate 10 hybrid vehicles, which will be used for ferrying the players during the games. We are also developing for the same." He, however, declined to give details in which models hybrid technology could be applicable.

On the investment front, Raman said, "It is a partnership programme, where government will bear 50 per cent of the development cost, while rest will be spent by individual companies."

Industry sources said development of each vehicle could cost of about Rs 12 crore. MSI Managing Executive Officer (Engineering) I V Rao said the company is at present scouting technology partners for the motor, battery, controller and transmission of the proposed hybrid vehicles.

"Currently, there is basic search going on for a technology partners for motor, battery, controller and transmission," Rao added.

Nakanishi said MSI's parent Suzuki Motor Corp (SMC) is working on hybrid cars in its R&D centre in Japan and once SMC's product gets ready, the Indian subsidiary will think to launch the cars here.

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