JAPAN TODAY


 

TOKYO — Suzuki Motor Corp has launched a full-hybrid car, which can run on electricity as an electric vehicle (EV).

Suzuki said the Solio compact car can travel up to about 2 km as an EV when its lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery is fully charged.

“It can run (on electricity) for about three minutes at a speed of 40km/h,” Suzuki said.

The fuel efficiency of the full-hybrid car is 32.0km/liter, which is higher than the fuel efficiency of any other compact tall wagon (with a displacement of 1.5 liters or smaller and a height of 1,600 mm or higher).

Suzuki said it aims to sell 3,500 units of the Solio series of vehicles but did not disclose the breakdown. The Solio can come with a full-hydrid (full HEV) power train in addition to existing gasoline-engine and mild-hybrid (mild HEV) power trains.

While the prices of the existing gasoline-engine and mild HEV models start from about 1,450,000 yen and 1,690,000 yen, respectively. The price of the full HEV model starts from 1,917,000 yen.

Suzuki did not change the dimensions or the engine this time. The full HEV model measures 3,710 (L) x 1,625 (W) x 1,745mm (H), and its wheelbase is 2,480 mm. It is equipped with the 1.2L “K12C” engine.