Baleno hybrid prototype spotted: Launch around the corner?

Maruti Suzuki Baleno | 21,971 | The Maruti Suzuki Baleno, too, retains its second spot selling 21,971 units. This is up 35 percent from last year’s 16,237 units.

German engineering giant Bosch generated a lot of interest in the 2018 Auto Expo when it showcased an all-electric Baleno concept car. After almost a year, a prototype has been spotted undergoing road tests.

The prototype showcased last year generated around 115PS of maximum power and 200Nm of continuous torque. The Baleno that was spotted bore ‘e-drive’ and ‘Hybrid’ stickers, indicating the company may be working on mating the existing engine to a battery pack.

It has not been confirmed yet if the project is a collaboration between Maruti Suzuki and the German company, or an independent Bosch project. However, it is expected that either of the companies would make an official announcement of the Baleno hybrid sometime this year.

Spy shots of the car reveal that it has an ‘sHEV 48V’ sticker, which indicates it could be equipped with a 48 volt ‘strong hybrid’ power train. That means it can use either power source independently, while the engine can also be used to charge the electric batteries. Going by the e-drive sticker, the Baleno could also have an an all-electric mode.

The current generation of Maruti Baleno is offered with a mild-hybrid configuration in two variants. Both the variants get a 1.2-litre dual-jet dual VVT 4-cylinder petrol-hybrid engine which makes 90PS of maximum power and 113Nm of peak torque.

It has a single gearbox option: a five-speed manual transmission.