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Forget diesel, go hybrid: Renault’s Stephane Deblaise

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Forget diesel, go hybrid: Renault’s Stephane Deblaise

"Forget diesel, go hybrid," Renault Group India CEO Stephane Deblaise told us in an interview at the launch of the Duster hybrid. Renault claims that hybrid is the perfect replacement for diesel. The 1.5-litre K9K diesel engine was instrumental in the first-generation Duster's sales success; out of the nearly 200,000 units sold, nearly 90 percent were powered by the diesel engine. However, the K9K was axed in 2020, when the stricter BS6 emission norms went into effect. 

First-generation Renault Duster's K9K 1.5L diesel engine.

Renault Duster hybrid leads in claimed mileage than rivals

In addition to the Renault Duster, the Toyota Hyryder, Maruti Grand Vitara and Victoris are currently the only other mid-size SUVs to offer a hybrid powertrain option. The Duster hybrid's ARAI-rated mileage of 29kpl is 1.03kpl higher than what the Grand Vitara and Hyryder claim. Meanwhile, the Victoris comes closest to matching the Renault SUV's figure, with a margin of just 0.35kpl between the two. 

It even has the upper hand in peak outputs, making a combined 160hp and 172Nm, which is 21hp and 31Nm more than the Maruti and Toyota rivals. Furthermore, its 1.4kWh battery pack is relatively the largest in the segment, and as per Renault, up to 80 percent of city driving can be done in pure electric mode.

Speaking of pricing, Renault has priced the Duster's hybrid lineup from Rs 16.99 lakh to Rs 19.49 lakh, ex-showroom (introductory price applicable for all Duster hybrid deliveries before the end of 2026). The base trim is Rs 31,000 pricier than the Grand Vitara and Rs 56,000 more expensive than the Victoris hybrid, while it is Rs 19,000 cheaper than the Hyryder. At the top-end, the Duster hybrid is Rs 13,000 cheaper than the Grand Vitara and Rs 50,000 than both the Victoris and Hyryder.

Both the engine and the battery are currently imported from Spain, but despite that, the Duster hybrid is priced competitively against its rivals, especially at the top end. "India is a difficult market as people want everything for a very low price. This is why it's an interesting market to challenge original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to be the best," Stephane said. 

Renault is working on localising hybrid powertrain

On the scope of localisation, which may lead to a lower price, Francisco Hidalgo Marques, VP Sales and Marketing, Renault India, told Autocar Professional, "We are working on that...the speed of localisation is a manufacturer's problem and that is our task to do it as soon as possible." 

Francisco Hidalgo Marques, VP Sales and Marketing, Renault India
Francisco Hidalgo Marques, VP Sales and Marketing, Renault India.

"When we launched the new Duster in January 2026, we launched it with turbo-petrol engine options and announced that hybrid will be part of the future of India. Now, in the last few months a lot of things have changed. Petrol sales have declined and we have a lot of customers who have been coming for the petrol Duster and they are saying, 'I'm going to wait until the hybrid's launch. I really want to know if the price is good, I will jump,'" he added. 

Francisco also assured that the company is working very hard on increasing the production. He also highlighted that hybrid sales in the mid-size SUV segment are relatively less due to limited options for the customers. But that is set to change soon with the Kia Seltos adding a hybrid powertrain, as well as the next-generation Hyundai Creta.

He also highlighted that hybrid sales in the mid-size SUV segment remain relatively low due to the limited number of options available to customers. However, this is set to change, with the Kia Seltos set to add a hybrid powertrain soon. Even the next-generation Hyundai Creta will offer a hybrid option.

With inputs from Mugdha Mishra.



from Autocar India https://ift.tt/JOr7CT5

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