Ideal Sedan For Fuel Price Hike? Honda City Hybrid eHEV Comes With 26.5Kmpl Mileage

The City eHEV is a strong hybrid and not a mild hybrid hence it contains two electric motors and a petrol engine along with the ability to drive in electric power alone.

Honda City e:HEV (Image: Somnath Chatterjee)

New Delhi: Fuel prices are increasing and it is now at a level which cannot be ignored. Hence, while that does not mean we will stop driving cars, it does make the car buyer think more about buying a more fuel-efficient car.

Even at the premium end of the segment, the car buyer now wants efficiency along with features. The City e:HEV does promise a mileage of 26.5 kmpl and that makes it not only the most efficient sedan but also one of the most efficient cars available in India. The reason for that is the hybrid powertrain.

The City e:HEV is a strong hybrid and not a mild hybrid hence it contains two electric motors and a petrol engine along with the ability to drive in electric power alone.

The twin electric motors and hybrid system is self-charging which means you do not need to charge this car like any electric car. You have to fill it with petrol though but much less than a usual petrol car because it is a mix of electric/hybrid.

The mileage is around 40-45 percent more than standard petrol cars. The petrol engine makes 98bhp while the twin electric motors also come in with a combined power output of 126PS with 253Nm.

There is also no gearbox as the power is sent to wheels with an electric motor. You can drive the city hybrid at electric mode for up to a certain speed while later the petrol engine comes in.

Most of the low-speed driving up to 40km/h will involve the EV mode anyway while hybrid drive mode covers speeds higher than that. Like EVs, the City e:HEV gets regenerative braking via steering paddles.

Not only that, the City hybrid gets ADAS features like Lane Departure Mitigation, Lane Keep Assist, auto high beam and adaptive cruise control. Other features include a powered hand brake, all four disc brakes, lane watch tech, 6 airbags, connected car tech plus more.

Pricing would be revealed in May while one fully loaded ZX trim is offered.