The recently unveiled Levante Hybrid combines a two-litre petrol engine with Maserati’s electric hybrid system to deliver better performance and fuel economy. It becomes the second model in the Maserati line up to get the hybrid upgrade following the launch of Ghibli Hybrid last year.
The Levante Hybrid combines with a two-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine that’s paired with a 48-volt Hybrid system to deliver a combined maximum power output of 330hp and 450 Nm of torque at 2,250 rpm. This translates to a maximum speed of 240 kmph, and 0 to 100 kmph acceleration in 6 seconds.
The hybrid version of Maserati’s flagship SUV is lighter than its corresponding petrol version. It uses 18% less fuel while delivering similar performance as the 350 hp V6 petrol version, and better power output compared to the Levante Diesel. Despite electrification, the distinctive Maserati sound has been retained.
Levante’s hybrid system is equipped with a 48V Belt Starter Generator (BSG), which supports the combustion engine when more power is needed, recovering energy during braking and deceleration, and charging the battery, which then powers the eBooster. The SUV’s DC Converter and the 48V battery are placed in the rear, balanced with the front-mounted engine to allow for better weight distribution, adding to Levante Hybrid’s agility.
The eBooster system works in tandem with the conventional turbocharger, sustaining the engine’s power output even at low rpm. Together with the BSG, it also provides the extra boost when the car is at peak rpm in Sport mode. This system ensures a faster start and improved driving dynamics.
For the launch of Levante Hybrid, Maserati has chosen a dibold blue cobalt colour to distinguish it from its peers. The metallic tri-layer colour, named “Azzurro Astro,” is a complex colour that shifts between blue, when bathed in light and grey when in the shadows. This colour presents itself throughout the SUV, from the three signature side air intakes to the brake callipers, from the logo on the rear pillar to the embroidered stitch work on the interiors.
Levante Hybrid’s global launch occurred virtually on houseof.maserati.com, and physically at the Shanghai Auto Show this month.
