After dozens of rumours and speculations, the Honda City Hybrid has finally been unveiled. Badged Honda City e:HEV, the self-charging car will go on sale in May, with booking underway from today.

Coming directly to the details, the fifth-gen City e:HEV gets a combination of a 1.5-litre petrol engine and two electric motors, powered by a battery. However, unlike other EVs, the City e:HEV does not require to be plugged in.

Instead, the sedan makes use of a hybrid system, which allows the electric motor to work in tandem with the internal combustion engine. As a result, you get a maximum output of 109hp, while maintaining a claimed efficiency of 26.5kpl. The hybrid system also allows the City to run on pure EV mode, albeit for a short period of time and at a slower speed.

The Honda City e:HEV is loaded with all the bells and whistles, including the company’s advanced driver-assist features like adaptive cruise control, lane assist, and autonomous emergency braking auto high-beam. This is in addition to the lane watch camera for blind-spot detection, six airbags, a 7-inch display driver’s display and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

Design-wise, the City hybrid comes with minor changes to the exterior. This includes a new ‘e:HEV’ badge, an updated diffuser design at the rear and a boot lid spoiler. All in all, the hybrid looks similar to the RS trim Honda offers internationally, with sportier aesthetics.

Considering the scepticism around hybrid technology, Honda is offering a 3 year/ unlimited km warranty on the new City e:HEV, with an 8-year warranty on the lithium-ion battery as standard. Currently, the City Hybrid faces no direct competition, but it may be priced in the same range as the Skoda Slavia and the upcoming Volkswagen Virtus, which is around Rs 18 lakh (ex-showroom).