It is no secret that hybrid cars are attracting the attention of more and more buyers in India as they promise a combination of an electric system and an IC engine, providing superior fuel efficiency, a silent ride when propelled by the electric system and good performance with the motor contribution to the power and torque output of the vehicle. 

Despite attracting a higher tax than the IC engine or electric vehicles in India at 42 percent as compared to the latter two which are taxed at 28 percent, hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Hycross and the Maruti Grand Vitara are selling god numbers in their respective segments.

As the demand for reduction in tax on hybrid turns vocal and state governments – the Government of Uttar Pradesh has announced a reduction in registration tax of a strong hybrid vehicle by eight to ten percent – begin to sops, hybrid vehicles seem to get into an advantageous position in terms of their market value and position. 

With this as a basis, the time may be right to ask if extended-range hybrids would make a good case for India? The extended-range hybrid technology in vehicles is promoted as a step towards full-electric, informed an industry source. It is led by China and as a technology subject to certain challenges, he added. 

With automakers like Stellantis and Ford gearing up to unveil range-extended hybrids in Europe, the challenge they are going to face is the European Union (EU) emission regulations. It would be necessary that such vehicles are excluded from the EU's 2035 combustion engine sales cut-off.

Essentially plug-in hybrids with a drive range of up to a whopping 2,100 km, the extended-range hybrid cars such as the two models (one is named Qin L) unveiled by BYD to challenge Volkswagen and Toyota in the Chinese market recently works in a manner that the electric power architecture, which is the foundation for achieving lower energy consumption and higher thermal efficiency, works smartly. 

In other words, the technology taps the higher thermal efficiency of electricity on the basis that the same amount of fuel can generate more electricity for the battery, directly enhancing the vehicle’s range. This in-turn should also explain the lower energy consumption factor. 

Providing an insight into the 2,100 km drive range claim by BYD for the two range-extended hybrid models it launched in China recently, an engineer mentioned that the company has simplified the conditions that govern the IC engine (this is unlike before when the IC engine handled various conditions as the sole powertrain) and have let the electric motor handle more. The result is an improvement in thermal efficient as the engine conditions are simpler. 

For a strictly electric vehicle company to enter IC engine manufacture and deploy it in its cars marks a significant shift in how the electric vehicle industry is responding to the market requirements. 

Innovating a powertrain such that the IC engine handles only 20 percent of what it handled as the sole powertrain of a petrol or diesel vehicle, BYD opted for a high compression ratio. The challenge this move presented saw the global EV leader from China to conduct over 240 combustion combination experiments to ensure the engine does not overheat, does not knock, does not experience reduction in power and speed and causing instability. 

The thermal efficiency of BYD’s engine is a very high 46.06 percent. That of the Great Wall Motor’s Hi4 hybrid system is 41.5 percent. The power density of the BYD system has gone up by about 70 percent, reducing significant the energy flow path losses. The overall efficiency achieved is about 92 percent. 

The cost of such a technology since it is at a nascent stage right now will be high. Its ability to cut down emissions by increasing the thermal efficiency is something that will put cars with such technology in a good position in India. 

The real excitement will however lie in democratizing this technology to bring it down to the volume production car level in the next three to five years. This will definitely make a good case for India. Ironically, the IC engine is not showing any signs of disappearing yet. 

Mumbai-based automotive major Mahindra & Mahindra has announced its wholesales for April 2025 at 84,170 vehicles, a growth of 19 percent, including exports.

The auto major sold a total of 52,330 SUVs in the domestic market, which was 28 percent higher than 41,008 SUVs sold for the same period last year. Commercial vehicle sales in the domestic market came at 22,989 units, which was 4 percent YoY. 

Veejay Nakra, President, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “Building on the strong momentum of last year's performance, we began the year on a strong note in April by achieving SUV sales of 52,330 units, a growth of 28 percent and total vehicle sales of 84,170 units, a 19 percent growth over the same month last year. These numbers indicate the strength of our portfolio and customer offerings.”

JSW MG Motor India, a leading passenger vehicles manufacturer, has announced its wholesales for April 2025.

The company reported sales of 5,829 units, which was 23 percent higher over April 2024, when it sold 4,725 vehicles.

Interestingly, the automaker's popular offering, the Windsor EV, has continued to be the top-selling electric passenger vehicle for the seventh month in a row.

JSW MG Motor India's Windsor EV has now gone home to over 20,000 customers.

Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest carmaker, has reported its wholesales of 179,791 units in April 2025, marking a 7 percent increase compared to 168,089 units sold in April 2024. The growth was primarily propelled by strong performance in utility vehicles and a sharp rise in export volumes.

Domestic sales, including passenger and light commercial vehicles, remained flat with 142,053 units, as compared to 140,448 units in April 2024. Within this, light commercial vehicles (LCVs) like the Super Carry saw a significant jump of 34.2 percent, with sales rising to 3,349 units from 2,496 units last year.

In the passenger vehicle segment, SUVs such as the Brezza, Ertiga, Grand Vitara and others recorded a 4.4 percent increase, selling 59,022 units compared to 56,553 in the previous year. However, sales for Eeco declined by 5.2 percent, while the mini segment (Alto, S-Presso) saw a sharp 45 percent drop, falling to 6,332 units from 11,519 units. The compact segment, which includes high-volume models like the Baleno and Swift, grew by 8.1 percent, reaching 61,591 units.

Sales to Toyota Kirloskar Motor rose sharply by 79.2 percent, from 5,481 units to 9,827 units, indicating a growing demand for cross-badged products.

The standout performer was the export segment, which surged 26 percent to 27,911 units from 22,160 units in April 2024. This strong export growth helped bolster the company’s overall numbers despite weaknesses in domestic sub-segments.

While some product lines such as the mid-size sedan Ciaz (-63 percent) continue to struggle.

Tata Motors reported total wholesales of 72,753 units for April 2025, reflecting a 6 percent year-on-year decline from 77,521 units in April 2024.

The passenger vehicle (PV) segment, including electric vehicles, accounted for 45,532 units, down 5 percent from 47,983 units in the same month last year. Within this, domestic PV sales dropped 6 percent to 45,199 units, while international business (IB) sales rose significantly to 333 units, up from 100 units. Electric vehicle sales (domestic + IB) declined 16 percent year-on-year to 5,318 units.

Commercial vehicle (CV) sales stood at 27,221 units, marking an 8 percent YoY drop from 29,538 units in April 2024. Domestic CV sales contracted 10 percent to 25,764 units, while CV exports (IB) grew 43 percent to 1,457 units. Key sub-segments like Small Commercial Vehicles (SCV) and pickups saw a steep 23 percent decline.

Despite growth in certain categories like ILMCV trucks and passenger carriers, overall sales momentum was tempered across both PV and CV segments.