Skoda May Bring Superb Hybrid Saloon To India, Will Compete With Toyota Camry Hybrid

Skoda is all set to unveil a hybrid version of its luxury sedan - Superb. The Czech automobile manufacturer had earlier released the teaser of the face-lifted Superb which is also the company's first ever hybrid offering. The launch is due on May 23 and according to a top exec of the company, the car could also make its way to the Indian market soon.

In a recent interview, Skoda Auto¡¯s HR chief Bohan Wojnar shared some insight into the brand¡¯s plans for the Indian market. While he confirmed that the company is ready with its electric vehicle offerings, it feels that India is not ready as of now for the same. Wojnar said in an interaction - "Getting the right infrastructure in place for electric vehicles will not happen overnight in India. But I'm sure that a lot will happen in this regard over the next decade.¡±

In this wake, Skoda might just want to bring in its hybrid vehicles to the country first. A hint of this was provided by Wojnar, saying ¡°Skoda Auto stands ready as we're marketing fully electric vehicles, and our Superb hybrid cars, for example, will also be of value for the Indian market."

Skoda Superb 2020 Sketch (Image: Skoda Auto)

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Skoda Superb is based on the Volkswagen Passat which already has a hybrid version in circulation by the name of Passat GTE. If the hybrid variant of the Superb follows suit, we can expect the sedan to come with an amalgamation of a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine with an electric motor and a 6-speed DSG transmission.

If and when it is launched in India, Skoda Superb Hybrid will well be on its way to becoming the most fuel efficient hybrid car in the country, claiming around a 50 km range on a pure EV mode. In comparison, another Plug-in Hybrid vehicle in India - the Volvo XC90 T8 offers a range of 42 kmpl. Others in competition include the Toyota Camry Hybrid (23.27 kmpl) and Honda Accord Hybrid (23.1 kmpl) but none of the two offer a plug-in hybrid option.

Another plus for Skoda would be the pricing, as the hybrid option is expected to be launched around the Rs 40 lakh mark in the country. While the two non-plug-in hybrids, the Camry and the Accord are priced around the same, the only PHEV in India (XC90 T8) comes at a jaw-dropping cost of Rs 1.31 crore (all prices are ex-showroom, Delhi).

(Representative Image: Reuters)

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Wojnar also shed light on other focuses of the company in India. With its India 2.0 initiative, the company will be using a modified version of Volkswagen's MQB A0 platform (A0-IN) for the local manufacturing, thus guaranteeing all required safety and technology standards.

The first Skoda model based on the A0-IN platform is scheduled in 2020, around the same time when India is set to put the BS-VI emission norms into effect. The primary focus, however, will still be the "fuel efficiency and cost of ownership that are among the primary determinants for an average car buyer in India," as explained by Wojnar.