The presence of hybrid cars in India’s mid-size SUV segment is steadily increasing. Renault is gearing up to launch the Duster Hybrid in the market in October. Apart from this, Kia Seltos and new hybrid cars are also expected to get hybrid powertrains in the near future.
But an interesting situation is emerging regarding hybrid cars. Many models are now priced close to electric cars and in some cases even higher than EVs. In such a situation, the question arises, when an electric car can be bought for almost the same budget, then why would a customer pay extra for a hybrid?
What is the price difference between a hybrid and an EV?
This can be easily understood from the portfolio of Maruti Suzuki. The starting ex-showroom price of e Vitara is Rs 16.19 lakh. On the other hand, the Victoris Hybrid starts at Rs 16.43 lakh and the Grand Vitara Hybrid starts at Rs 16.68 lakh.
Talking about the higher variants, both e Vitara Alpha and Victoris ZXi Plus (O) Hybrid are priced ex-showroom at Rs. 19.99 lakhs. But the real picture changes when we look at the on-road price.
The on-road price of the e Vitara Alpha is around Rs 21.44 lakh, while the Victoris Hybrid goes up to around Rs 23.23 lakh. That means there is a difference of about 1.79 lakh rupees between the two. Similarly, the on-road price of the Grand Vitara Alpha Plus (O) Hybrid is around Rs. 22.80 lakh, which is Rs. 1.36 lakh is more.
What does the customer pay in hybrid?
The Strong Hybrid is not just a petrol engine. Along with the petrol engine, it also has an electric motor and battery. The car itself coordinates between these two power sources as needed.
The special feature of this system is that there is no need to go to the charging station to charge the battery separately. Energy is returned to the battery during driving and braking. This is the reason why the driver does not need to worry about the charging network during long distance journeys. Fill petrol and continue the journey.
Large battery share in EV price
EV’s system is different from this. It does not have a petrol engine and the entire vehicle relies on a large battery and an electric motor. For example the e Vitara has 49kWh and 61kWh battery options. The Creta EV gets 42kWh and 51.4kWh batteries, while the Sierra EV has 63kWh and 75kWh battery options.
That is, when buying a hybrid, the customer pays for the petrol engine, the electric motor, the battery and the technology that manages it all together. Whereas in an EV, a large portion of the cost goes to a larger battery and electric powertrain.
The Honda City Hybrid has also become expensive
Honda City Hybrid is priced at Rs 21.36 lakh and its on-road price is around Rs 24.80 lakh. In the same price range, the Excellence LR variant of the Hyundai Creta EV with a 51.4kWh battery costs Rs. 23.67 lakhs. The price of Tata Sierra EV goes up to Rs 26 lakh.
However, these cars differ in size, features, battery capacity and body style, so it is not right to consider them as direct alternatives to each other. However, the narrowing gap between the prices is definitely worth noting.
Don’t judge by just looking at the ex-showroom price.
Just looking at the ex-showroom price is not enough when buying a car. The on-road price can vary greatly after adding registration, insurance and other charges. Also, the on-road price may vary in different states. The real advantage of hybrids is for those who want the benefits of electric driving with the convenience of petrol and avoid the hassle of charging. EVs can be a more attractive option for those who have easy charging facilities at home or in the office. With the entry of hybrid SUVs like Renault Duster, Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta, the competition is going to get more interesting in the near future.
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