Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) will soon be launching hybrids to maximise fuel efficiency of its cars. At present, it offers mild and medium hybrids in some of its vehicles.

Hybrids offer a path to complete electrification even as the country prepares to build the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem, including charging infrastructure and battery system development.

Talking to The Telegraph Shashank Srivastava, executive director MSIL, said: “As the cost of the powertrain of an electric vehicle, which includes the cost of the battery, falls and the stringent norms for internal combustion engines (ICE) make their prices go up, there will come an inflection point when EVs will become a viable option.

“That inflection point will happen between 2028 and 2030 when seven to 10 per cent of the vehicles sold will be EVs. Till that happens in 2030, India will sell 70 million cars. These 70 million cars will need to be fuel efficient even as fuel prices continue to rise. Alternatives to pure ICEs such as hybrids and CNG vehicles will be the order of the day.”

While the company already offers mild and medium hybrids in six of its vehicles, including Baleno, Ciaz, SCross, Ertiga, XL6 and Vitara Brezza, it is yet to have strong hybrids.

There are different forms of hybrids, including start-stop hybrids, plug-in hybrids and others. “We will be launching strong hybrids soon, the powertrain components of EVs and strong hybrids are similar,” said Srivastava. And so hybrids are a necessary stepping stone to complete electrificatioh.

“Currently EVs have a high acquisition cost, no charging infrastructure and range anxiety among consumers,” said Srivastava.

In response to an internal report which said rising fuel cost is an important criteria that consumers consider while deciding on which car to buy, MSIL is running a campaign to highlight the fuel efficiency of its vehicles.