Suzuki’s surprise announcement following the unveiling of the new Jimny 5-door
Suzuki’s surprise announcement following the unveiling of the new Jimny 5-door ? No way, Suzuki will introduce the “New Jimny” or “BEV” to Europe!
What’s that? Isn’t this a Jimny? Look at the mysterious silhouette!
The long-awaited Suzuki Jimny 5-door made its world premiere in India on January 12, 2023.
Two weeks later, on January 26, an announcement was made suggesting that the Jimny will be converted to an EV.
Not a Jimny 5-door…but a 4-door? Nice mysterious Jimny item! See the real thing!
It was truly a surprise… the world premiere of the new Suzuki “”Jimny 5-door!”” Two weeks later, the “”Jimny EV”” is hinted at
Around the end of 2022, there has been a lot of talk about Suzuki’s HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) and BEV .
Suzuki’s current production vehicles are mainly mild hybrids, and the only full hybrid (strong type) is the Solio series, which has an image of not being able to ride the wave of electrification of cars.
In the midst of this situation, the company announced its “”Product Plan to 2030″” at a briefing held on January 26, 2023.
There, the company stated that it would introduce six BEVs to Japan by FY2030, with the first model to be rolled out during FY2023. The BEVs that Suzuki has created for Japan include silhouettes of the Wagon R series, the Escudo, the Hustler, and the Every, which are believed to be the first BEVs to be launched in Japan.
In addition, the company plans to launch five BEVs in Europe by FY2030, with the first model to be rolled out by the end of FY2024. The most noteworthy of these was the inclusion of a silhouette that could be identified as a “”Jimny””.
As for the Jimny, as mentioned above, the Jimny 5-door has been announced in India.
Before that, however, some media reported that an HEV might be added to the lineup. However, there was no mention of it at the AUTO EXPO 2023 conference.
However, right after the conference, the announcement of Jimny’s electrification was made.
The Jimny is a genuine off-road four-wheel drive vehicle, a rarity in the world, with a ladder frame structure, rigid axle suspension, and a traditional part-time 4WD mechanism with sub-transfer.
To ensure high rough road durability and durability, an elaborate mechanism is employed despite the vehicle’s price of less than 2 million yen in Japan.
However, the robust but heavy structure and 4WD with a sub-transfer certainly make it difficult to match with a hybrid system.
Even if the company were to use its current mild hybrid system, various questions arise, such as how it would be controlled in 4WD low.
What about BEVs?
A fully electric vehicle would free us from the need to consider the engine/motor combination (control).
Also, if the space around the ladder frame is used well, it is not impossible to install a large-capacity battery.
Suzuki’s surprise announcement following the unveiling of the new “”Jimny 5-door””? No way, Suzuki will introduce the “”New Jimny”” or “”BEV”” to Europe!
What will be the Jimny’s traditional drive system?
What we are interested in is the drive system, but it may not be 4WD as it currently is, and with a sub-transfer.
When we think of 4WD in EVs, the e-4ORCE system used in Nissan’s Aria comes to mind. This system is a two-motor system with a motor on each of the front and rear drive wheel axles, but it seems like a mismatch when used in the Jimny.
Of course, it might be possible to place the motors in the Jimny’s front and rear differentials, but that would complicate the control system and increase weight.
According to leaked reports, the Jimny EV is said to be aiming for a battery capacity of 25 kWh or more and a cruising range of 300 km WLTC, which would make weight reduction and battery placement more important for the ladder frame structure of the vehicle.
It is the author’s expectation that the current Jimny’s drivetrain and the position of the fuel tank will be used to create a more practical (longer range) EV layout.
In this case, it is more realistic to use one motor and front-wheel drive instead of 4WD based on rear-wheel drive.
Comparison of the BEV silhouette (left) and the Jimny (5-door) (right), which will be introduced in Europe
Incidentally, the possibility of a Jimny HEV is not yet out of the question.
This story first came out of an interview with Suzuki Australia’s senior management conducted by the international media, who said that a Jimny 5-door and HEV would be launched in Australia in 2024.
Aside from the various control issues, there is no doubt that the HEV will be a hit in Japan if it becomes a reality. However, there is a possibility that this story is a misidentification of HEVs and BEVs.
On a serpentine note, if Suzuki launches an EV in the global market between 2023 and 2024, the long delivery time for the Jimny may be reduced.
This is because the current long delivery time is also said to be due to production volume adjustments caused by CAFE regulations.
This means that Jimny users who want to drive hard off-road will also benefit from the electric version.
In any case, the Jimny is suddenly making a lot of noise. First of all, we are looking forward to the launch of the 5-door model in Japan as soon as possible.
Tomoki Yamazaki