Everything there is to know about Mild Hybrid?

Choosing a car can be challenging, especially with so many features and misconceptions to consider. Opting for a hybrid car might seem daunting if you're not familiar with them, but they offer significant advantages. One major benefit is reduced CO2 emissions, making them more environmentally friendly. Additionally, hybrids often have increased miles per gallon, ensuring your fuel lasts longer and making them more cost-effective to run.

Identifying Your Hybrid vehicle

All hybrids feature a conventional petrol or diesel engine paired with an electric motor powered by an additional battery. The electric motor works alongside the petrol or diesel engine to help reduce fuel consumption.

Some hybrids, known as plug-in hybrids, have larger batteries that can be charged by plugging them in and can travel several miles using only the electric motor.

Other hybrids, known as self-charging hybrids, have batteries that charge by recovering energy normally lost during braking and deceleration, and do not need to be plugged in. Most Suzuki cars use this type of hybrid technology.

What is Mild Hybrid?

Every hybrid system includes an electric motor and battery, which store power to repurpose energy for aiding acceleration and reducing fuel consumption and emissions. The batteries recharge when the car decelerates or brakes, using that energy to assist during acceleration or uphill driving through a process called regenerative braking.

Mild hybrid technology allows you to drive as you would in a regular petrol car but with greater efficiency. There's no need to plug in with a Mild Hybrid car.

Common asked questions about Mild Hybrid cars

Do mild hybrids need charging?

• No, you can’t plug in a mild-hybrid car. The batteries are small and generate electricity as you drive, rather than relying on a mains power supply like a plug-in hybrid.

Can my car run on electric alone?

• No, a mild hybrid car cannot run on electric power alone. The electric motor in a mild hybrid system assists the conventional engine to improve efficiency, but it does not have the capability to power the vehicle independently.

Are mild hybrids the same as hybrids?

• Mild hybrids are the same as other hybrids in the sense that they use a combination of a petrol or diesel engine alongside some electrical assistance. However, unlike full hybrids, they lack the capability to solely operate on electric power due to the modest level of assistance provided by the electric motor, as implied by their name, mild.

Will it cost me more to run, maintain and service?

• It is slightly more to service a mild hybrid rather than a normal petrol engine car however the pros of the fuel efficiency outweigh the price due to you saving money on fuel all year round.

Is there a switch to turn on for the Hybrid technology?

• No, there is not a switch you have to press to operate the hybrid technology, the car automatically does this function independently.

Do I have to pay extra for Mild hybrid?

• No, not with us at Suzuki—all our cars come standard as hybrids across the entire range.

The overall benefits of driving a mild hybrid car:

- No different to drive than a regular petrol or diesel-powered car.

- They don’t need to be plugged in to save fuel, as is the case with plug-in hybrid models.

- They’re generally cheaper to buy than a full hybrid or plug-in hybrid car.

- Fuel economy and CO2 emissions are improved, reducing bills and VED (Vehicle Excise Duty) tax

- The technology works with manual and automatic, and petrol and diesel models.