Your Favourite Car Makers Will Soon Launch Hybrids: Every New Upcoming Hybrid Car Detailed

The Indian automotive landscape is fast evolving. The EV boom seems to have flattened out and hybrid cars are gaining ground. In recent months, we saw many manufacturers going vocal about their hybrid plans for India. Even the Indian government is considering a policy amendment which would boost the adoption of hybrid cars and SUVs.

Hybrid cars, in many cases, make more sense than electric vehicles. Since you don’t have to plug them in frequently, hybrids are a lot easier to live with, than EVs and are more practical as well. Charging electric vehicles continues to be a challenge for many EV owners, as not everyone has the privilege of having home chargers. The country has a lot of ‘land-starved’ people who find it difficult to AC-charge their vehicles. Hybrids, in a way, form the sweet spot between ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) and EV models.

Upcoming policies like the CAFE3 will further force manufacturers to lower fleet emissions by introducing more hybrid and electric models. Here’s everything we know about the hybrid launch plans of various (mass market) car brands.

Maruti Suzuki is India’s largest vehicle manufacturer. The Japanese giant is known to be readying a new range of hybrid models for India. The carmaker is reportedly developing a series hybrid technology which will be used in the hybrid versions of the Fronx, Baleno and Swift. We don’t know when these models will be out, but the Fronx will be the first to feature the new technology.

Another model expected from Maruti Suzuki is the production form of Y17 SUV. It will be larger than the Brezza, but smaller than Grand Vitara. It will have hybrid versions (mild and strong) as well. This product could likely be called ‘Escudo’ when launched.

Kia is known to embark on the hybrid journey soon. It is now working on the next-generation Seltos. The vehicle is currently undergoing testing and when launched, will come with a new hybrid petrol engine as well. The hybrid powertrain on this vehicle will likely use a new, larger-capacity, 1.6L petrol engine as its base. Based on market winds, Kia could introduce more hybrid vehicles in the future.

Hyundai seems to have promising hybrid plans as well. The Creta will be among the first ones to get a hybrid powertrain. It will likely use the same engine from the Seltos hybrid. Some reports say that the engine could be a derivative of the one used in the Kona hybrid in international markets.

Toyota already has a strong presence in the hybrid space with models like the Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Camry and Innova Hycross on sale. In the upcoming years, we expect the carmaker to roll out badge-engineered versions of the Escudo hybrid and the series hybrid Fronx.

Renault is planning a strong comeback in India with models like the new-generation Duster and Bigster-based seven-seater. The seven-seater will be called Boreal when launched. Both these will have hybrid powertrains, alongside regular ones.

Nissan’s Indian vertical has lately been posting major downtrends in sales. The company’s roadmap to rescue includes a series of badge-engineered products, some of which will be hybrids. Nissan’s versions of the Boreal and Duster are expected to come with hybrid engines.

India is an important market for Volkswagen (VW). It is now working on the next-generation Taigun and Virtus. These are expected to come with major upgrades, including strong hybrid powertrains.

Skoda is also readying the next-generation Slavia and Kushaq, which will come with hybrid petrol powertrains, just like the next-gen Virtus and Taigun.

BYD is a major name in the electric and hybrid vehicles space. It currently has a bunch of attractive all-electric products on sale in India. In future, the carmaker will launch hybrid vehicles as well. BYD had showcased the Sealion 6 at the Bharat Mobility Expo this year. It will be one of the first BYD hybrids to go on sale here. The exact launch timeline remains unclear for now.

MG (Morris Garages) has a strong foothold in the electric vehicle segment. It will launch a slew of New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) in the future. These will include EVs, hybrids and other clean energy vehicles. MG had showcased some of their hybrid vehicles at the Auto Expo this year. However, details on its actual hybrid plans remain sparse.

Honda Cars India has strong product plans for the hybrid era. The company is known to be developing an all-new hybrid platform called PF2, which will form the base for its future hybrid lineup. Hybrids will bridge the gap between ICE and EV in Honda’s portfolio. The PF2 will feature heavy localisation and the same will enable the carmaker to price these products competitively.

Mahindra is known to be working on hybrid versions of the XEV 9e and BE6 SUVs. Currently, these are available with all-electric powertrains alone. Both these are underpinned by the INGLO platform. The hybrid forms of XEV and BE6 will use the series hybrid technology. Mahindra is set to reveal its new-age monocoque SUV platform on August 15, 2025. The platform will have support for electrification and Mahindra could base hybrid version of the Bolero and/or Thar Sport on it.

Tata Motors has confirmed that it will go hybrid if the market demands the same. MD Shailesh Chandra had recently confirmed the same. The carmaker, however, has voiced concerns against the proposed incentives for hybrids. It is too early to have clarity on Tata’s hybrid product plans.