Not long ago, the authoritative American automotive magazine "Ward's Auto World" released the list of the top ten engines of the world's automobiles in 2021, and only 2 of the total 10 engines are fuel engines. Although the list is more based on models sold in the North American market, it is also of reference significance for us Chinese consumers. For example, Volkswagen, BMW, Honda, and Toyota, which are favored by domestic consumers, have some people happy and some people are sad, and Honda, Nissan and Volkswagen are not on the list. But the most surprising thing on the list is that a small displacement "three-cylinder" engine that we hate the most is openly on the list. The largest car displacement is also fixed at 3.5L, in addition to the same hybrid or electric vehicles, is it true that the era of fuel vehicles is coming to an end? Let's take a quick inventory.
The 2021 Ward Top 10 list is called Engines and Powertrains. Because this time, a total of 4 electric drive systems were included.
Perhaps the U.S. system became the biggest winner. Because the List of Ward's Top Ten Engines was once a bellwether-like existence, according to the convention, if there is a model equipped with an engine selected for the Ward Top Ten List, then it will be marketed as a focus when selling. Looking back, this list keeps up with the times when small-displacement turbocharged engines flourished more than a decade ago. Only two fuel engines are on the list today: the 1.3T three-cylinder engine on the Chevrolet Trailblazer (the domestic Chevrolet Genesis) and the 2.5T four-cylinder engine on Hyundai Shengda.
Pure fuel engine
1. General Purpose 1.3T in-line three-cylinder engine
Test model: Tron
Displacement(cc): 1341
First of all, talking about the fuel engine, the judges who participated in the Ward Top Ten selection chose the 1.3T three-cylinder engine as one of the two traditional internal combustion engines that won the award, which also released the trend of more and more "short and small" displacement in the process of future power conversion to new energy. However, we still have a lot to say about this engine: Chevrolet's 1.3T engine uses an integrated cylinder head design, and has achieved quite good ride by optimizing the cylinder design and adding a balance shaft. But the situation at home can be described as embarrassing. Due to the use of three-cylinder design, it is still difficult to improve under the premise of the hype of major mainstream car companies in China, and it is not known how many people's car purchase decisions have been affected. Even if this engine has won many awards, no matter how good the technology is, it cannot withstand the Chinese people not buying it.
Ward's top ten judges commented on it as "when tested, no one sensed that the genesis was using a three-cylinder machine."
2. Hyundai 2.5T in-line four-cylinder gasoline engine
Test model: Hyundai Shengda
Displacement(cc): 2497
Hyundai's 2.5T inline four-cylinder gasoline engine made the Ward's top ten list for the first time, and its paper parameters are quite powerful. The maximum power of this engine is more than 250 horsepower, the maximum torque reaches 422 Nm, the maximum torque range is 1650-4000 rpm, the driving quality and smoothness are very good, and the fuel consumption is only 9.4 liters /100 km, which is fully comparable to the driving quality of the inline six-cylinder gasoline engine of the German and American systems. The drivetrain is mated to an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. However, this system will only be used in overseas versions of models for the time being, and the domestic medium and high-end Shengda still uses 2.0T engines. Although Hyundai Motor did not introduce this powertrain for Shengda, fortunately, after The Geniseys entered the country this year, we were also fortunate to meet this engine by introducing G80 and GV80 models.
Ward's top 10 judges spoke highly of the engine, saying that "the technology used in this traditional internal combustion engine is quite good, and it can compete with the best powertrains in the world, even all types of powertrains."
Three plug-in hybrid engines
1. BMW 330 E equipped with 2.0T plug-in hybrid system
Test model: 330e PHEV
BMW 2.0T inline four-cylinder gasoline engine + electric motor
Displacement(cc): 1997
BMW's achievements in the engine are obvious to all, and it has also won the "Ward Top Ten Engine Awards" 36 times. This time on the list is a 2.0T plug-in hybrid system. The system adopts P2 motor structure, consisting of a B48 series 2.0T engine + battery + motor, the maximum system power is 215kW (288Ps) and 300Nm of torque, the performance is very strong, the maximum speed can reach 230km/h, pure electric endurance 57km. The measured 0-60mph acceleration of foreign media is 5.6 seconds. In addition to high performance, the fuel consumption of 330e is also very low, and the comprehensive fuel consumption of 100 kilometers is only 1.7L. This powertrain makes a lot of sense for many buyers: pure electric channels can be used over a certain distance, and if there is a need for a long commute, it can be driven by an ordinary internal combustion engine. The plug-in mixing system brings lower consumption and improves power performance, so why not enjoy it?
2. Ford 3.5T V-type six-cylinder gasoline engine + electric motor
Test model: F-150 Hybrid
Displacement(cc): 3497
As the leader of the American pickup industry, F-150 not only has a domineering appearance and outstanding power performance, but in the face of the environment of energy saving and emission reduction, it has also made changes and launched a 3.5T hybrid system. The Ford F-150 model is equipped with a 3.5T hybrid system, which is the only V6 engine on the list, but Ford's 3.5T engine, coupled with the hybrid system, has a combined maximum power of 435 horsepower and a peak torque of 773 Nm. The powerful power parameters allow the pickup truck to accelerate to 6 seconds from 100 kilometers, which is more powerful than the 5.0L V8 version of the F-150. In addition, another major advantage of the hybrid version is that the fuel economy has been improved, and the fuel consumption of 100 kilometers has been controlled within 10 liters. However, Lao Mei is obviously not to consume hybrid vehicles for the sake of fuel saving, and plug-in hybrids are characterized by fast acceleration and direct power transmission. The sparsely populated US market, which is often several kilometers of straight roads, is obviously different from the psychology of Chinese consumers buying hybrid cars.
The Ward Top 10 judges said it had an extraordinary increase in actual driving, while also being able to run much lower than the combined road conditions of large-displacement pickup trucks.
3. Jeep2.0T plug-in hybrid system equipped with Wrangler 4xe.
In a hardcore off-road vehicle to add a battery pack composed of hybrid system is a very challenging task, in the middle of this year, Jeep Wrangler 4xe advance version was officially listed in the domestic market, priced at 53.49-61.49 million yuan, equipped with a 2.0T engine + front and rear dual electric motors composed of plug-in hybrid hybrid system can be described as the first person in a hardcore hybrid off-road vehicle. The system combines a maximum power of 266 hp and a peak torque of 637 N·m, while the 2.0T engine itself also features water-cooled EGR and single-turbo twin-scroll technology. The drivetrain is matched with ZF's 8-speed automatic manual transmission, and its acceleration performance of 0-96km/h is within 6s. With a 17kWh battery pack, NEDC has a pure electric cruising range of 55km and a total cruising range of about 640km, which greatly improves the power performance of the model and also realizes the integration of environmental protection and off-road.
Four pure electric drive systems
1. Ford pure electric system
Test model: Mach-E AWD
Battery: 88 kWh lithium battery
Mileage (km): 370
Mutang Mach-E not only won this year's "Ward Top Ten Engine Award", but also won the "Ward Top Ten Interior Award", which can be described as a "big winner". The ford Mach-E's motor parameters, its maximum power is only 346 horsepower, even less than most of the pure electric models on the list. What you don't know, however, is that in the North American market, the Mach-E is no less popular than the Tesla Model Y. The Ward judges said that the Mach-E's electric drive system responded quickly, the mid-section acceleration was still abundant, and the reduction in the range of the meter in the test drive was even less than that of the actual driving (the actual driving was 92 km, the table showed a power loss of 76 km), and even in the intense driving, the Mach-E's endurance discount was better than most electric vehicles.
2. Modern pure electric system
Test model: KONA EV
Battery: 64 kWh lithium-ion
Mileage (km): 415
Hyundai Kona has been on the list for the third consecutive year and is the only model on the list to win consecutive awards. Kona EV was first unveiled at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, which is a stylish boutique pure electric small SUV, in fact, it is the pure electric version of the domestic Onsino, which is also crucial for modern cars. Although the performance of this car in the domestic market is mediocre, but in the foreign market has made a lot of profits, the modern electric drive system was selected as the top ten engines of Ward this time, mainly because the Ward jury believes that this power system takes into account efficiency and performance.
The car is actually sold in China, but Beijing Hyundai changed its name to Onsino Pure Electric, which is also equipped with a 64 kWh battery and a motor with a maximum output of 150 kW. Hyundai has always been known for its high cost performance, and now a Kona in North America sells for less than $30,000, which is the biggest reason why it is loved by consumers in the North American market.
3. Polestar pure electric system
Test model: Polestar 2
Battery: 78 kWh lithium-ion
Mileage (km): 399
To be honest, polestar 2's market recognition in the Chinese market is relatively low, far less than the north American market. It's the same door as the XC40 RECHARGE division, but Polestar's electric drive system will be tuned to a more extreme level. The reason for the pole star 2 to be on the list was unexpected, and the keyword given by Ward's judges about this car was "balance", which adjusted the performance, handling, luxury, driving quality, price and other attributes to a very coordinated manner. It is also because of this system that the Polestar 2 becomes more elegant, making it stand out among many electric models and being selected as one of ward's top ten engine lineups.
At present, the Polar Star 2 sells only one model in the domestic market, with a cruising range of 450km. Polestar 2 also emphasizes the extreme sporty characteristics, after all, its predecessor was Volvo's modification department. The first is acceleration, with 4.7 seconds of acceleration per 100 kilometers, comparable to high-performance electric vehicles. The feeling of chassis tightness is even more extreme, revealing a unique atmosphere for those who are more sensitive to design, pursue higher details of products, and have requirements for driving pleasure.
4. Porsche pure battery
Test model: Taycan 4S electric system
Battery: 93.4 kWh lithium
Mileage (km): 365
Porsche's electric drive system has also become the winner of ward's top ten awards, and its representative model is Porsche's pure electric vehicle Taycan 4S. The car adopts a front+rear dual motor drive, the total power of the motor is 390kW, and the total torque is 640N·m. As a pure electric sports car, the Taycan 4S is capable of producing a maximum power of 562 horsepower and an acceleration time of only 4 seconds from 100 kilometers. The rear axle of the Taycan 4S is equipped with the same two-speed transmission as the Turbo model, and the vehicle uses an original 800V electrical architecture, which charges more quickly and also contributes to the lightweighting of the vehicle. These new technologies will also further accelerate Porsche's future transformation into electric vehicles. The performance is strong, and the mileage has become a short board. Its pure electric mileage is only 407km, which is really not enough considering the actual use of further "discounts".
However, it made the list only because it had few competitors in the United States. In the domestic market, WEILAI ES8, Gaohe HiPhi X and even Hongqi E-HS9 can launch an impact on it.
summary
The above is the model in the list, and it is still gratifying that there are two fuel engines on the list. However, Honda, as a major manufacturer of automobile engines, does not have an engine on the list, which is puzzling. This list is just a reference and talk after dinner, after all, the matter of buying a car is very subjective, and the judgment of the engine is only a factor that affects the purchase of a car. However, unlike in previous years, the V8 and large displacement engines were on the list at every turn, and now the displacement and cylinder number are showing a decreasing trend. The Chinese market and the U.S. market, the policy is different, the car environment, habits are also very different, but lament the era of electrification is coming a little faster.