Suzuki Swift Plug-In Hybrid to use Sanyo batteries

Suzuki plans to use Sanyo as its battery supplier for an upcoming plug-in hybrid version of the Suzuki Swift. 60 test units of the plug-in hybrid equipped with the Sanyo batteries will be deployed in Suzuki dealerships across Japan in the second half of 2010. Sanyo joins a group of battery supplies engaged to supply batteries for plug-in hybrids including Panasonic for an upcoming plug-in Prius and LG Chem for the Chevrolet Volt.

The Swift Hybrid plug-in car will be a series hybrid much like the Proton EMAS and the Chevrolet Volt. There is a 660cc combustion engine capable of 54 horsepower but its sole function is to run a generator that recharges the Sanyo batteries when needed when the batteries run out of wall socket charged juice. The batteries in turn power a 74 horsepower electric motor.

When the concept version of the car was first displayed at Tokyo 2009, Suzuki said the batteries in that car could go about 20km on full battery capacity before the 660cc engine has to kick in and burn petrol to provide more charge. The latest word from Suzuki has dropped this distance to about 15km.

Look after the jump for a small gallery of the Swift Plug-In Concept.