While India is taking small but steady steps in the transition from fossil vehicles to electromobility, the automotive supplier Schaeffler AG sees hybrid vehicles as more suitable for this goal in the near future.
Given the shortcomings in EV infrastructure in the country, hybrid vehicles will be a better alternative to fully electric vehicles, the company’s regional director said in a Bloomberg TV interview.
Trendy cars
Maruti Suzuki Baleno
1197 cc | Gasoline | Manual
₹ 5.58 lakhs *Further
Maruti Suzuki Ertiga
1462 cc | Gasoline | Manual
₹ 7.59 lakhs *Further
Maruti Suzuki vitara-breeze
1462 cc | Gasoline | Manual
₹ 7.34 lakhs *Further
“Hybrid vehicles will play an equally important role because they can master some of the immediate infrastructure challenges surrounding e-mobility,” said Dharmesh Arora, Asia-Pacific CEO of Schaeffler. It will be a few more years before electromobility is mainstream.
Schaeffler’s outlook matches that of Maruti Suzuki, which also supports hybrid models until charging infrastructure improves and electric vehicles become more affordable for all types of buyers in the country. In particular, electric vehicle sales in the country account for less than 1% of annual car sales compared to nearly 10% in China.
(Read Also | Ferrari F1 Boss Backs Hybridization Over Push To Go All-Electric)
In fact, Maruti is playing a wait and see game in the electromobility market and does not plan to enter the EV segment in the short term. The company’s CEO, RC Bhargava, said during the annual general meeting with shareholders last month that Maruti will not wait to launch its first electric model until it is feasible.
While hybrid cars use an electric motor to drive and accelerate, the combustion engine kicks in when the speed increases. When the driver decelerates or brakes, the energy is stored in the battery and used later. There are plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) that can be connected to charge the battery. PHEVs offer more electrically powered driving range, while the internal combustion engine can be used when needed or after the hybrid electric battery has been depleted.
(with input from Bloomberg)
The post Will hybrid vehicles pave the way for India’s electric future? first appeared on monter-une-startup.
