Suzuki Swift Hydrogen Revealed - India's Favourite Car To Push Nitin Gadkari's Vision?

Automakers and peripheral organisations have been consistently working on the development of clean fuel vehicles. Among these, one of the most discussed options is a hydrogen-powered vehicle. Multiple manufacturers have been developing hydrogen vehicles with FCEV tech (fuel cell electric vehicle). Taking another step in the direction, AVL technologies has showcased a hydrogen-powered Suzuki Swift prototype.

Suzuki Swift Hydrogen

Austrian powertrain expert AVL collaborated with Suzuki to create this Swift and showcased it at the event. The vehicle is a functional prototype designed as a technology demonstrator, which, among other factors, eliminates the likelihood of a Swift Hydrogen being introduced in the near future.

The Swift, powered by hydrogen, is based on the second generation of the vehicle. While the majority of hydrogen cars on the market today employ fuel-cell technology, this modified Swift operates with an internal combustion engine. Although the latter is less efficient for passenger vehicles, it is considerably more economical and practical.

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AVL spearheaded the project, managing the design and development of the engine, constructing the demonstration vehicle, and carrying out the calibration. The company used a 1.4-litre direct injection hydrogen engine in this significantly modified Mk2 Swift. It produces 134 hp of power and 220 Nm of torque, which are improvements of 13 hp and 20 Nm, respectively, compared to the commonly used ICE engine.

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Nitin Gadkari's Vision

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has repeatedly highlighted hydrogen as a key component of India's future mobility ecosystem, alongside ethanol, CNG, and electric vehicles. The government has already initiated pilot projects and policy discussions aimed at developing hydrogen infrastructure, though widespread adoption is still some years away. As part of the push, the Union Minister even owned a hydrogen-powered vehicle, the Toyota Mirai.

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If Maruti Suzuki decides to scale up the project and take the hydrogen-powered Swift to the production line, it can give a great push to the minister's vision to transition to clean energy. Considering the popularity of Swift in the Indian market, the car can accelerate the adoption of hydrogen vehicles.