Reference Auto

Toyota has achieved a milestone with the new Camry Hybrid by making it the first locally-made hybrid car on India’s roads, pricing it at Rs 29.75 lakh (Delhi ex-showroom).

The Toyota Camry Hybrid.

To be assembled at the company’s plant at Bidadi in Bangalore, the Toyota car is based on the seventh generation Camry platform and is offered with a 2.5-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor.

The new Camry runs on Hybrid Synergy Drive, which automatically changes the power source keeping in view the driving conditions. The engine and motor come with a power output of 205 PS.

The electric motor can also turn into a generator to convert the kinetic energy to electricity. Toyota claims that the Camry offers a fuel efficiency of 19.16 km to a litre, which is indeed a big feat.

The Camry Hybrid’s battery is nickel metal hydride and its capacity stands at 6.5 amperes per hour. The battery pack is located behind the back seat.

The new Camry Hybrid wears a similar look to its non-hybrid counterpart. However, the new car comes with solid add-ons like power reclining rear seats along with rear armrests with controls for the seats, AC and music system.

In terms of features, the car also comes with ventilated front seats, tilt and telescopic steering column with memory function, and a collapsible headrest for the front passenger seat.

Additional features of the hybrid include Regenerative Braking technology, lower NVH levels, lower fuel consumption and emissions as low as 122.8 gm of CO2 emissions per km of driving. These are some enhancements offered with the hybrid version.

Safety features have got a leg up and include four airbags, hill start assist control, vehicle stability control, traction control and corner sensors.

So, with the Camry Hybrid rollout, Toyota may not benefit much in the near term, but in the long term, the government could enhance the infrastructure for hybrid cars (by paving the way for more battery recharge stations and higher sops), and as the market matures, it could make Toyota a big brand name in hybrids, allowing it to become the game-changer in the industry.