The Commonwealth Games may not have been a resounding success story, but it has at least marked another step forward for the acceptance of green cars.
India’s car market leader Maruti Suzuki provided 10 SX4 Hybrid and four Eeco Charge electric vehicle concepts for the event in Delhi which draws to its conclusion tomorrow. The concepts are part of a Government-initiated and Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers co-ordinated National Hybrid Propulsion Programme as well as the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Sources’ High Energy Density Battery Development Programme. They are public-private partnership initiatives and India’s first in hybrid technology with the aim of developing awareness and generating interest in hybrids in the Indian automobile market.
The SX4 Hybrid was first unveiled in January at the Auto Expo 2010 and is a full parallel hybrid based on a saloon car platform. It includes an electric motor and twin clutch arrangement with lithium-ion battery technology. It is capable of running solely on its electric motor which offers a further boost to fuel efficiency and provides zero emission driving in city situations.
Meanwhile, the Eeco Charge is a pure electric vehicle that is powered by a 50kW motor and includes a 24kWh lithium-ion battery with a full driving range of 61miles and a top speed of 100km/h. The battery is packaged under the floor for better drivability and improved boot space and the vehicle is available with either five or seven seats.
