Maruti Sells Over 1 Lakh SHVS Cars

Maruti Suzuki India Limited announced that it has sold 1,00,000 units of its SHVS smart hybrid vehicles in India. The company makes the Ciaz SHVS and Ertiga SHVS smart hybrid vehicles. Maruti Suzuki had introduced the Ciaz SHVS back in September 2015, followed by the Ertiga SHVS in October 2015. Both vehicles feature hybrid technology on their diesel models.

The smart hybrid vehicle by Suzuki, or SHVS, is a technology that makes use of an integrated starter generator (ISG) and a high capacity battery to supplement the engine's power. This helps in utilising auto start-stop, engine assist, and brake energy regeneration features.

The auto start-stop feature turns off the car when the driver shifts to neutral and lifts his/her foot off the clutch and the car is started automatically when the clutch is depressed. The engine assist feature kicks in during acceleration to save fuel and improve efficiency. The brake energy regeneration feature helps the ISG recover energy when the brakes are used, and store it for later use.

Due to these benefits, the Ciaz SHVS and Ertiga SHVS are quite fuel efficient at 28.09kmpl and 24.52kmpl, respectively. These cars were kept out of the purview of the odd-even scheme that the Delhi government enacted twice in 2016 due to the benefits they offered to the users (more fuel efficiency and less pollution).

Due to the SHVS technology, the Ciaz SHVS and Ertiga SHVS also enjoy benefits from the Indian government's FAME scheme for hybrids and electric vehicles. The benefits enjoyed are to such an extent that the Ciaz SHVS is able to undercut the Honda City's price by over Rs 2 lakh. The ZDI+ trim of Ciaz SHVS costs Rs 9.56 lakh while the Honda City ZX Diesel costs Rs 13.56 lakh (all prices ex-showroom Delhi). In terms of what you get in both cars, the Ciaz SHVS represents an unbeatable value-for-money prospect when compared to the City.

This is what makes this milestone all the more important for Maruti Suzuki. We wish that more vehicles from the company would come equipped with this technology so that not only do they cost less but also represent more value for a buyer's money.

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