Are Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) cars really a good option for India? In this article, let’s explore what hybrid cars are, the different types of hybrid cars and the latest addition to it – PHEV and whether it is a good option for Indian middle class families.
What is a Hybrid Car?
Traditional internal combustion engine cars have a petrol or diesel engine which powers the wheels. When you put an additional electric motor with a lithium ion battery in it, it’s called a hybrid car (combination of electric motor + petrol/diesel engine).
Now let us see what a series and a parallel hybrid car are.
Series Hybrid Car
This type of hybrid car has a petrol or diesel engine which acts as a generator to charge the battery which powers an electric motor that drives the wheels. It can either be a front or rear wheel drive car. Here only the electric motor is connected to the wheels not the engine, the engine just acts as a generator. That way, there will not be an external charging port that is a plug socket to charge the battery. Instead the only source of power is the engine which acts as a generator to charge the battery.
Parallel Hybrid Car
Here in a parallel hybrid car, both the electric motor and the Petrol or Diesel engines are connected to the wheels, therefore the engine does not act as a generator. Hence, most parallel hybrid cars have an all wheel drive system (AWD). There is also a plugin charging port to charge the battery externally like an EV. Thus the parallel hybrid cars are the most preferred among the hybrid options due to their ability to switch between an IC engine or Electric motor setup with ease.
Who Should Opt for an Hybrid Car?
Hybrid cars are best for people who are uncomfortable with EVs due to the following factors,
1. Range panic issues.
2. Resale value for the EV after 5 years.
3. People who are living in tier 2 and tier 3 cities where EV charging infrastructure is inadequate.
4. Battery replacement costs.
Does India have a Proper Hybrid Car?
Recently MG motors has launched a Plugin-Hybrid(PHEV) car named Tomahawk, which is a D-segment 7 seater SUV, the most interesting part of this car is that it has 4 driving modes (engine mode, EV mode, series mode and a parallel mode) which means this hybrid car can switch between series and parallel hybrid setups. It can be a bit confusing for a few people, but don’t worry we will put a detailed blog on it.
For now, just see it as the only PHEV or plugin hybrid car available in India. Unfortunately the price of this car is Rs. 25,96,000 ex-showroom, which will definitely retail at Rs 35,00,000 on road.
So, what about the cars which are sold as hybrids by a few brands in India?
Brands like Toyota and Honda, who are the pioneers in PHEV or plugin hybrid technology outside of India, are only selling overpriced range extender cars in the name of mild or strong hybrid tags which have a little torque assist motor connected to a 1.7 kWh battery and priced more than Rs 20 Lakh ex-showroom.
You can see the difference between MG Tomahawk which is a proper hybrid with a 20.5 kWh battery and Toyota’s hycross, a namesake strong hybrid with a 1.7 kWh battery in the same price band.
Why are these brands hesitating to bring pure hybrid tech like PHEVs to India while selling them in huge numbers outside of India?
It is related to government policy on taxes and supply chain issues.
Will PHEVs be affordable to middle income families?
A PHEV under 15 Lakh on-road price will definitely capture the mass market in the small car segment. Unfortunately none of the brands are ready to experiment with it. With TATA motors fully focusing on pure EVs like Tiago, Punch, Nexon and Altroz, it will definitely not indulge in hybrids. Honda and Toyota are only interested in flooding the market with range extender cars in the name of mild or hybrid.
So far, only Maruti-Suzuki has hinted about launching a series hybrid Fronx not a PHEV coming November 2026. Fortunately this may kick start the affordable real hybrid Era in India if it is priced at 15 lakh on-road provided with a reasonable more than 15 kWh battery pack.
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