Kia Seltos expected to get mild-hybrid engines soon

Tuhin Guha Published: March 04, 2022, 12:18 PM IST

OVERDRIVE has learnt that Kia India is developing a mild-hybrid system for the Kia Seltos SUV. This technology should be rolled out later this year first in the Seltos and then across cars like the Carens and Sonet. Eventually, Hyundai's offerings should also see the inclusion of this tech, possibly starting with the Hyundai Creta and Venue facelifts planned for launch this year.

Kia Seltos mild-hybrid engines

The mild-hybrid system to be rolled out on Hyundai-Kia offerings should be along the lines of the set-up Maruti Suzuki employs in its Smart Hybrid offerings. So expect to see a 48V lithium-ion battery pack and a lead-acid battery paired with an integrated starter generator. This set-up should make for a quick-reacting start-stop function and provide some degree of torque assistance early in the rev band. This tech should find its way into the two petrol-engine options, and in the smaller 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated and 1.0-litre turbo motors later on. This technology usually leads to a 5 to 6 per cent fuel-efficiency advantage and similar results can be expected with the Hyundai-Kia offerings.

Kia Seltos engines

The base engine for the Kia Seltos is 1.5-litre four-cylinder N/A petrol makes 115PS and 144Nm while the 1.5-litre diesel motor makes 115PS and 250Nm. The petrol can be had in manual and CVT guise, as well as a new iMT version, while the diesel is manual only. The 1.4-litre turbo-petrol with 140PS and 250 Nm is available with a 6MT and 7DCT.

Why mild-hybrid?

The possible inclusion of this mild-hybrid tech comes at a time when the fuel prices have placed an even greater focus on efficiency. With diesels losing their economical edge after the BS6 shift, alternate fuels like CNG have started becoming the go-to option for the value seekers. But a CNG powertrain may not fit with the wants of an SUV buyer that the Seltos or any of the other Hyundai-Kia offerings want to attract. This mild-hybrid technology seems like a more viable option given its relative cost-effectiveness and the fairly noticeable efficiency gains its promises. Expect these mild-hybrid versions to come at a Rs 25,000 to Rs 35,000 premium over the current versions.

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Kia Seltos 2021 Full Spec

Price (Ex-Delhi)
Starts Rs 9.95 Lakhs

Displacement
1497cc

Transmission
Automatic

Max Power(ps)
115

Max Torque(Nm)
250

Mileage
20.8 Kmpl

Hyundai Creta 2020 Full Spec