Suzuki Swift Plug-In Hybrid, SX4 Fuel Cell First Photos

The upcoming Tokyo Motor Show is the perfect opportunity for carmakers to showcase the creations which were not available for the previous shows. One of these vehicles is the Swift Plug-In Hybrid. Already announced to attend the event earlier this month, Suzuki today released a few details and photos about the new Swift.

The plug-in is powered by a tiny, 660 cc petrol engine, also used on Suzuki's low tax ‘Kei’ cars in Japan. The engine is paired with a generator, used to power the lithium-ion batteries in case their capacity level drops. When the car is not in motion, the same type of technology as with any other plug-in is used to recharge it.

"Swift Plug-in Hybrid is ideal for drivers who travel low mileages of around 20km every day and is designed to be driven primarily on electric power," Suzuki said in a release.

Besides the Swift Plug-in, another alternative version of a model in the Suzuki line-up will be brought to Tokyo by the carmaker: the SX4 Fuel Cell.

The SX4 uses a General Motors sourced fuel cell system and a Suzuki-designed high pressure hydrogen tank. Together, they are linked to a capacitor which helps the car recover energy during braking. That energy is then used to reduce fuel cell loading under acceleration. The fuel cell version of the SX4 can already be seen on Japanese streets undergoing testing.

The Tokyo Motor Show, although has lost some of its major participants this year, promises to be a very innovative one. All the latest creations, most developed by local carmakers, will be on display starting October 21.