Renault India bats for localization to embrace strong-hybrid future
Renault India has announced plans to introduce strong-hybrid powertrains for its future vehicles, joining Toyota and Maruti Suzuki. The company's goal is to offer efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles, including strong and plug-in hybrids, naturally aspirated and turbocharged petrol engines, as well as a variety of electric vehicles (EVs). To remain competitive in the market, Renault will localize its strong-hybrid mills.
Which powertrains might Renault introduce in India?
Renault's E-TECH range features 145hp and 160hp strong-hybrid powertrains. They were developed using technology from Renault's Formula 1 program and are protected by over 160 patents. We hope to see them in India. Separately, plug-in hybrid mills are yet to gain traction in our mainstream market due to their cost. However, Renault is eager to explore their potential and plans to localize both strong and plug-in hybrid systems.
Maruti Suzuki's success has piqued Renault's interest
Renault's interest in hybrid powertrains comes at a time, when market leader Maruti Suzuki and its global alliance partner Toyota, have received positive feedback for their strong-hybrid offerings. Honda also sells a strong-hybrid version of the City in India. However, other Indian and Korean automakers have primarily focused on EVs, bypassing hybrids altogether.
