Maruti Suzuki is developing an in-house hybrid powertrain technology called HEV that will drive five new models between 2025 and 2027, as the automaker diversifies its electrified mobility portfolio beyond the Grand Vitara and upcoming EV. The series hybrid system will target affordable mass-market hybridization at lower costs than strong hybrids by avoiding complex engineering.
The HEV tech functions akin to a range extender with the engine acting primarily as an electricity generator charging the battery supplying the electric motor rather than directly driving the wheels in conventional hybrids. This aims improved city mileage like Nissan’s global e-Power hybrid models through simpler architecture.
Fronx Facelift to Pioneer HEV in 2025
Codenamed YTB, the midlife Fronx refresh will be the first Maruti model in 2025 leveraging the in-house developed HEV setup likely deploying the new 1.2 liter petrol motor from the Heartect platform as the generator. The same architecture will subsequently underpin next-gen Baleno, Swift, compact MPV models over 2026-2027 with electrified variants planned around economy positioning.
However, critics argue that though affordable, range extender hybrids lag traditional strong systems efficiency gains on highways. But city usage improvements alongside greener urban mobility perceptions seem Maruti’s short-term goals amidst entering the EV space in parallel.
