Renault Exploring Introduction Of Strong Hybrid Cars In India- Details

Renault India has expressed its intentions to incorporate strong-hybrid powertrains into its upcoming vehicles for the Indian market. This development complements its electric vehicle strategy, with the introduction of the electric Kwid anticipated around 2024-2025. Additionally, Renault is considering the possibility of localizing these strong-hybrid powertrains to locally manufacture them here in India.

Let's quickly dive into the details of this development.

Strong Hybrid Renault Cars Coming To India?

According to Venkatram Mamillapalle, MD of Renault India, the company's future portfolio will encompass a variety of choices, including strong hybrids and plug-in hybrids. He highlighted the existing array of naturally aspirated and turbocharged petrol engines, the forthcoming range of EVs, and the engines' adaptability to ethanol, including E100. Furthermore, the plan involves introducing both plug-in hybrids and robust hybrids to cater to the evolving preferences of Indian consumers.

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It is interesting to note that the current Renault cars like the Kwid, Triber, and Kiger are manufactured in India, along with their engines. This is another area that the brand is focusing on. Renault's strategy to address this challenge and enhance affordability is particularly intriguing. Venkatram Mamillapalle further elaborates, stating, "We will focus on localizing our plug-in hybrids and strong hybrids... This approach will enable us to offer competitive products to the market."

In the earlier part of this year, Renault Nissan Automotive India Private Limited pledged an investment exceeding Rs 5,300 crore for its forthcoming phase of development over the next five years. With this commitment, the group aspires to achieve a cumulative production volume of 3.5 lakh vehicles within the Indian market in the years ahead.

What To Expect From Renault's Hybrid Cars

Renault's forthcoming strong hybrids, part of the E-Tech range, encompass two essential variants: a 145hp and a 160hp version. Developed with technology from Renault's Formula 1 program, these powertrains utilize a series and parallel architecture, featuring two electric motors. The 145hp version includes a 49hp motor and a 24hp high-voltage starter generator, complementing a 4-cylinder, 1.6-liter, 94hp petrol engine. With a 1.2kWh battery, this hybrid system can achieve approximately 24 kilometers per liter (kmpl) in regular driving. The E-Tech full-hybrid powertrain optimizes energy efficiency through up to 14 different internal combustion engine and electric motor configurations, offering substantial fuel savings compared to conventional gasoline engines, especially in urban settings.

Simultaneously, the 160hp E-Tech variant operates as a plug-in hybrid, potentially finding its application in upcoming models like the new Duster or Bigster, expected to debut in India by 2025. This version employs a significantly larger 9.8kWh battery, two electric motors, similar to the previous iteration, in conjunction with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. Notably, certain versions of the hybrid engine utilize the more fuel-efficient Atkinson cycle to achieve lower consumption rates.

Moreover, Renault Kwid EV is likely to hit Indian shores in 2025 according to some speculations. This will also commence the journey of the brand into the EV space in the Indian market as well.

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