Bosch All-Electric Maruti Suzuki Baleno - NDTV Car & Bike Review

rubicon · 14th October 2018, 15:49

We have seen a glimpse of the all electric Maruti Suzuki Baleno here in this post,

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ml#post4351823 (The 2018 Auto Expo Thread)

Now NDTV CarAndBike has an EXCLUSIVE review!

We get behind the wheel of Bosch India's pet project - a Maruti Suzuki Baleno that has been converted to an all-electric vehicle. The Bosch EV now sports a 'Bosh eAxle' system instead of the 1.2-litre petrol engine and also gets on board diagnostics as part of a new infotainment package. The electric vehicle was made in India and took two months to build and features a 10 kWh battery pack, 115 bhp electric motor and 200 Nm of torque.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMLmB4j7oPI

hrman · 14th October 2018, 17:58

Simple question. If a company like Bosch can do it in two months with their available technology, wonder what is Suzuki waiting for!

Kudos to Bosch. Their superior RnD, automotive DNA and a dedicated business handling only future Mobility solutions has seen this project come to light in a short time. Have seen a test mule of XUV500 also being developed to have electric connectivity. The potential is limitless. Only need to have a proper ecosystem of charging points, fast charging, cheaper battery costs and good range (say 350-500 kms a charge). But I guess that is a few years away.

Lalvaz · 14th October 2018, 19:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by hrman

Simple question. If a company like Bosch can do it in two months with their available technology, wonder what is Suzuki waiting for!

Suzuki is aware of the limitations and commercial viability of these vehicles. Battery costs are expensive and hence it is not commercially viable. Bosch has done a demonstration of technology and kudos to them for that but Suzuki needs to launch commercially viable vehicles.

SPIKE ARRESTOR · 14th October 2018, 20:08

Thanks for sharing, interesting e-Axle.

Great to see Cyrus do the review. Reminded me of those days, when people were afraid to give Dhabhar Sir, test drive of cars which were under development.

They knew, that next day a detailed report with all positives and negatives of the car would be exposed to the higher management. He must be happy to see his son do such reviews, not requiring to escalate anything to any management.

Spike

blackwasp · 15th October 2018, 09:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubicon

The electric vehicle was made in India and took two months to build and features a 10 kWh battery pack, 115 bhp electric motor and 200 Nm of torque.

And a 0-100 time of 8 seconds!! Take my money please!

Wow. what an effort. Just the fact that the car is running shows what this technology can achieve. Manufacturers could do tie-ups with Bosch and others to supply electric kits for their cars. I'm sure even the city commuters and enthusiasts like us would line up for such cars.

Imagine an electric car smoking a Punto Abarth on a signal! What a sight it would be.

Not just new cars, but it could also be an effective way to put a new lease of life into old cars. I recently sold my Chevy Spark, had there been such an option available, I'd have definitely considered an electric conversion.

serious_maniac · 15th October 2018, 10:38

@rubicon, thanks for sharing. This just looks so production ready.

Considering that the electric motor should cost same or lesser than the 1.2lt IC engine. The additional cost is only that of batteries. A 20Kwh pack should be 2 lakhs.

So a Baleno with 160-200km range (20KWh pack should give this) and 0-100 in 8 second should be ~10Lakhs ex-showroom. I think we are just one successful mainstream electric car away and there will be a deluge.

~m

LionX · 18th October 2018, 18:39

"While EVs that come as EVs from the factory are a thing of the present, Bosch tried to answer is a more prudent question and one that could bring about real change in the way the world moves. What if we could find a solution to retrofit current internal combustion engine cars to an electric powertrain. And what if we could make all that new technology fit exactly where the current powertrain sat? And that is exactly what the boffins at Bosch India in Bangalore have done with this electric vehicle conversion you see here. What started out as a regular petrol powered Maruti Suzuki Baleno, now has its fuel drinking guts ripped out of it, to be replaced by an electric motor"

https://auto.ndtv.com/news/exclusive...ome-topstories

https://youtu.be/rMLmB4j7oPI

Dr.Abhi · 19th October 2018, 08:46

Nice concept.
May their techonolgy become ripe and affordable with time so that I can use it in my 5 year old ecosport diesel after 10 years, which will otherwise be rendered useless by RTO authorities after that. It is God send for people like me who dont change their cars just for the sake of some touchscreen or drl or other bling. I will happily just plonk their motors in my Ecosport and happily live with her thereafter.

14th October 2018, 17:58	#2
hrman Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,155 Thanked: 1,104 Times	re: Bosch All-Electric Maruti Suzuki Baleno - NDTV Car & Bike Review Simple question. If a company like Bosch can do it in two months with their available technology, wonder what is Suzuki waiting for! Kudos to Bosch. Their superior RnD, automotive DNA and a dedicated business handling only future Mobility solutions has seen this project come to light in a short time. Have seen a test mule of XUV500 also being developed to have electric connectivity. The potential is limitless. Only need to have a proper ecosystem of charging points, fast charging, cheaper battery costs and good range (say 350-500 kms a charge). But I guess that is a few years away. Last edited by hrman : 14th October 2018 at 17:59.
	(1) Thanks

14th October 2018, 20:08	#4
SPIKE ARRESTOR Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Germany Posts: 2,856 Thanked: 1,545 Times	re: Bosch All-Electric Maruti Suzuki Baleno - NDTV Car & Bike Review Thanks for sharing, interesting e-Axle. Great to see Cyrus do the review. Reminded me of those days, when people were afraid to give Dhabhar Sir, test drive of cars which were under development. They knew, that next day a detailed report with all positives and negatives of the car would be exposed to the higher management. He must be happy to see his son do such reviews, not requiring to escalate anything to any management. Spike Last edited by SPIKE ARRESTOR : 14th October 2018 at 20:18.
	(6) Thanks

15th October 2018, 10:38	#6
serious_maniac BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 212 Thanked: 223 Times View My Garage	re: Bosch All-Electric Maruti Suzuki Baleno - NDTV Car & Bike Review @rubicon, thanks for sharing. This just looks so production ready. Considering that the electric motor should cost same or lesser than the 1.2lt IC engine. The additional cost is only that of batteries. A 20Kwh pack should be 2 lakhs. So a Baleno with 160-200km range (20KWh pack should give this) and 0-100 in 8 second should be ~10Lakhs ex-showroom. I think we are just one successful mainstream electric car away and there will be a deluge. ~m
	(1) Thanks

19th October 2018, 08:46	#8
Dr.Abhi BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Bathinda, Pb Posts: 340 Thanked: 608 Times View My Garage	Re: Bosch All-Electric Maruti Suzuki Baleno - NDTV Car & Bike Review Nice concept. May their techonolgy become ripe and affordable with time so that I can use it in my 5 year old ecosport diesel after 10 years, which will otherwise be rendered useless by RTO authorities after that. It is God send for people like me who dont change their cars just for the sake of some touchscreen or drl or other bling. I will happily just plonk their motors in my Ecosport and happily live with her thereafter.
	() Thanks