The main highlight of the new Duster hybrid will be its 1.8-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine. It will come paired with two electric motors and a 1.4 kWh battery pack. One of the electric motors of this SUV produces 49 bhp and drives the wheels. Meanwhile, the second motor produces 20 bhp and works as a starter-generator. The combined power of this SUV is 160 bhp and 172 Nm.
What is interesting is that the Duster hybrid will use a dedicated hybrid automatic transmission with eight fixed ratios. This is different from the e-CVT gearbox offered with its Maruti Suzuki and Toyota rivals. The transmission manages the contribution of the petrol engine and electric motors depending on the driving conditions. Renault says the hybrid system draws from its experience in Formula 1.
In terms of claimed fuel efficiency, the Renault Duster hybrid has an advantage over its three main rivals. The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Strong Hybrid and Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder Strong Hybrid offer an ARAI-certified mileage of 27.97 kmpl. Meanwhile, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris Strong Hybrid gets a claimed mileage of 28.65 kmpl.
The Grand Vitara and Hyryder use a smaller 1.5-litre petrol engine which comes paired with an electric motor and an e-CVT transmission. Their combined system output is around 116 bhp. The Victoris also uses the same 1.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid system with an e-CVT gearbox and produces around 116 bhp.
This means the Duster hybrid not only has a higher claimed mileage but also offers a lot more power than these rivals. However, the actual fuel efficiency will depend on driving conditions, traffic and driving style. The ARAI figures are a representation of the standardised basis for comparison. However, as we are all aware, the real-world mileage varies.
Apart from the mileage figure, Renault has claimed that the Duster hybrid can cover up to 80 percent of city driving in electric mode. This will be particularly useful in city traffic, where there are frequent stops and low-speed movement. So, coasting will allow the electric motor to take over more times.
The SUV’s 1.4 kWh battery is charged through the petrol engine and regenerative braking, which recovers energy when the vehicle slows down. The petrol engine can then come into action when more power is needed, at higher speeds or when the battery requires charging.
Now, it has to be noted that the 80 percent figure does not mean that the SUV can cover a continuous 80 percent of a journey as a pure electric vehicle. Instead, the hybrid system switches between electric and petrol power depending on the driving conditions.
The fixed-ratio transmission also sets the Duster apart from its rivals, which use e-CVT gearboxes. The latter offers a continuously variable driving response. Meanwhile, Renault’s system uses eight fixed ratios to manage the engine and electric motor. Now, how this setup will perform in everyday driving will become clearer once the production-spec SUV gets used in the real world.
In terms of practicality, the new Duster hybrid gets a ground clearance of 212 mm and a boot capacity of 518 litres. These figures will help it with the everyday usability expected from a mid-size SUV. Meanwhile, the hybrid powertrain will focus on improving fuel efficiency.
The new Duster is currently offered with 1.0-litre and 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine options. The hybrid will become the third powertrain option in the lineup. It could also appeal to buyers looking for a more fuel-efficient alternative to a conventional petrol SUV. It will also help in filling the void left by the Duster diesel, which was one of the most popular powertrain options when the first-generation model was offered in India.
As for pricing, the current Duster range starts at Rs 10.49 lakh. Meanwhile, the higher 1.3-litre turbo-petrol variants go up to around Rs 18.5 lakh. Renault will announce the final pricing of the Duster hybrid on October 17, the day of its official launch.