MAHINDRA SCORPIO HYBRID SUV FOR INDIA

Mahindra displays Scorpio hybrid SUV at Auto Expo India

The super successful Mahindra Scorpio dons a hybrid avatar at Auto Expo Delhi

12 January 2006
NEW DELHI

Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M(, which has successfully made the transition from unitility vehicles to sport utility vehicles with its indigenously developed Mahindra Scorpio SUV, displayed another indigenously developed hybrid SUV - the hybrid Scorpio - at the Auto Expo 2006 in New Delhi, India today.

This is a notable achievement, as no other Indian car manufacturer has managed to indigenously develop a practical hybrid vehicle thus far.

The hybrid Scorpio is also interesting in that it will be a diesel-electric hybrid, not a petrol eletric one as is generally the case abroad.

Mahindra and Mahindra has also developed a three-wheeler hydrogen fule vehicle called the HY-Alpha Champion which is also on display at the Auto Expo in New Delhi.

Mahindra has announced that the hybrid Scorpio will be launched commercially in the Indian market over the next two years. TM&M indicated that the hybrid Scorpio would not be much mroe expensive that the regular Scorpio.

The Mahindra Scorpio hybrid SUV will meld common rail diesel technology with an electric motor. M&M has said that the integration of the CRDI diesel engine and the electric motor will be completely seamless and transparent. The hybrid Scorpio is expected to offer greater fuel efficiency - almost 16 kilometers per liter. (At this point, we would like to remind out viewers that the Skoda Octavia TDi delivers 16-18 kilometers per liter - without a hybrid! But then that's a D segment diesel car, the Scorpio is an SUV.)

Mahindra uses its own CRDe engine and an electric transaxle with a traction battery for the powertrain. The hybrid Scorpio should offer lower overall emissions

Other concept vehicles displayed by Mahindra at the Auto Expo 2006 are Mahindra Legend, Scorpio Passion, Bolero Inspira, Scorpio CEO, Scorpio Lifestyle (Double Cab), Bolero Commando, Bijlee (Mahindra's Zero Emission Vehicle) and Scorpio Technology Vehicle. 

It is a machine that provides better fuel economy and lower emissions, while giving the benefits of a full hybrid performance. Another industry first, the 3 wheeler Hydrogen Alfa uses compressed gaseous hydrogen and can give a range of 170 km. More importantly the vehicle literally has zero Carbon dioxide and Carbon monoxide emissions.

We have not so far managed to get hold of a photo of the Mahindra Scorpio hybrid yet - but reports say in the looks department, it looks the same as the regular Mahindra Scorpio. 

What mroe do we want? Well, we wish M&M could speed up the production and launch of the hybrid Scorpio, and also tune up that fuel economy a little bit. After all, it is likely that the price would at least be a lakh or two above the top-end Scorpio - and to recover that in a reasonable timeframe, a slightly better fuel economy figure is needd. or are we hoping for too much?