Leftlane reported last week that Suzuki would be bringing two concept cars to the New York International Auto Show, with one being an environmentally friendly car, and that is exactly what we have here with the Kizashi Ecocharge.
As Leftlane predicted, the Ecocharge is in fact a gas-electric hybrid that uses the existing Kizashi platform and body, aside from minor tweaks for efficiency reasons in the aerodynamics department.
The Kizashi Ecocharge marks a momentous achievement for Suzuki, as it is the first gas-electric hybrid offered up by the Japanese automaker. Under the hood is a 144 horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine matched to a belt-driven 15 kWh (20 horsepower) electric motor-generator which helps boost torque to get the car off the line with less fuel.
Power for the 15 horsepower electric motor is stored in a 115-volt air-cooled lithium-ion battery, which when added to the 2.0-liter four-cylinder is capable of increasing highway fuel economy of the standard Kizashi by an estimated 25 percent, producing about 37 to 38 miles per gallon. The boost to fuel economy is aided by the usual suspects in hybrid vehicles such as aero improvements, low-rolling resistance tires, more aggressive fuel cut-off when decelerating, and of course regenerative braking and automatic engine shut-off while stopped.
Suzuki’s first hybrid is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission as opposed to the continuously variable transmissions often used by hybrid vehicles.
But does it look eco-friendly?
As polls have shown, how “green” a vehicle looks can be about as important as its actual credentials for many buyers. To help satisfy the eco-friendly crown, Suzuki used a special matte white paint with a pearlescent blue undertone, accented by blue exterior LED lighting for a cool, calming look that appears as home with the waters of the world.
For the interior Suzuki says it used special materials that require 84 percent less energy to produce, and create 80 percent fewer emissions than standard interior materials, proving that every little bit counts.
“We are continuing to study the virtues of the gas-electric technology found in the Kizashi EcoCharge Concept,” said Steve Younan, director of automotive marketing and product planning for American Suzuki Motor Corporation. “Our basic concept was to attain substantial gains in fuel economy without the traditional sacrifices in drivability required with today’s mid-size hybrid sedans.”
Suzuki has not yet determined if a production vehicle will spawn from the Kizashi Ecocharge, but it is under consideration.
