Maruti Suzuki, India's largest car maker launched its first SHVS mild-hybrid model, the Ciaz, in September 1, 2015 and introduced the technology in Ertiga Diesel in October 2015. Eighteen months down the line, the combined sales of SHVS-equipped car models have crossed 1 lakh mark.
Also read: 2017 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz Nexa edition may come soon
"As we move towards hybrid and electric cars, we see this as a first important step in this space. Both Ciaz SHVS and Ertiga SHVS are high on fuel efficiency, come with reduced running costs and lower levels of CO2 emission, thus making these popular among customers. The response we have received for SHVS equipped Ciaz and Ertiga encourages us to continue to invest in new technologies that support the environment while benefitting the customer," said R S Kalsi, Executive Director, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki.
What is SHVS?
Unlike common hybrid set up where a forced induction motor gets extra power from an electric motor, Maruti Suzuki's SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicles) technology uses an Integrated Starter Generator (ISG) and a high capacity battery to boost power. The engine stops automatically when the driver shifts the gear to neutral and releases clutch while the engine is idling and restarts engine as soon as the clutch is pressed and the stored energy is used for this process. It saves energy while decelerating/braking. The stored power in the battery assists the engine during vehicle acceleration, which improves efficiency.
According to ARAI rating, Ciaz SHVS has a fuel efficiency of 28.09kmpl while Ertiga SHVS boasts of 24.52 kmpl. SHVS equipped variants also accounts for over 60 percent of volume of the two models.
Maruti Suzuki has also said the company has been successful in reducing overall weighted average CO2 by over 15 percent through various initiatives like fuel efficiency improvement, introduction of new technologies and development of alternate fuel products. Currently, the company offers alternate fuel option in six models- Alto 800, Alto K10, Celerio, WagonR, Eeco and Ertiga with i-GPI CNG engine technology.
