Overview
- Renault India has set an official launch and price announcement for the Duster hybrid on October 17, 2026, with company teaser positioning the powertrain as the successor to the diesel variant.
- The Duster will use Renault’s E‑Tech Strong Hybrid 160 system that pairs a 1,789cc naturally aspirated petrol engine with two electric motors to produce about 160 hp and 172 Nm and stores energy in a 1.4 kWh battery.
- The hybrid is a non‑plug‑in system that drives the front wheels through a multi‑mode automatic gearbox, uses regenerative braking to recover energy, and Renault claims it can cover up to about 80% of typical city driving in EV mode under favourable conditions.
- Renault will offer the hybrid alongside existing 1.0L and 1.3L turbo‑petrol Duster variants while dropping the diesel option, and the hybrid will be available only with an automatic transmission.
- The launch comes after four months of falling Duster sales and follows reports that Renault’s initial hybrid allocation has sold out and bookings are paused; official pricing and certified fuel‑economy figures due at the October 17 announcement will determine how it stacks up against Maruti and Toyota strong‑hybrid rivals.