On December 26, the first match of the "Five Pole Challenge" of GAC Toyota's dual-engine hybrid was officially launched in Yinchuan. Four dual-engine models, including Leiling, Camry, Willanda and Highlander, departed from Yinchuan and lasted two days, ending in Jiuquan, challenging a tank of fuel to last more than 1000km. As one of the participants, through the form of lottery, the allocated vehicle is the new Highlander dual engine (top version, 2115kg of curb weight, fuel tank volume of 65L).
Briefly understand the rules of the game, a tank of oil extreme challenge
According to the rules of the race, one car is two occupants (including drivers), and the specific starting point of the race is a gas station in Yinchuan, where all participating vehicles are filled with fuel and a seal is affixed to the fuel tank cover (it cannot be torn until the end of the race, and tearing it in the middle means ending the race early).
In terms of itinerary, our first day (No. 26) departed from Yinchuan, Ningxia (starting from the gas station), passing through Zhongwei and ending in Wuwei, Gansu, the whole journey is about 497km, and the time is expected to take more than 6 hours. When we reach the end of Wuwei on the same day, we will record a number of data such as the mileage of the day, the average fuel consumption, the entire elapsed time, etc., and these data will be used as the final judging criteria of the race.
The next day's itinerary is, starting from the hotel in Wuwei, we will pass through Zhangye that day, and the final destination is a gas station in Jiuquan. According to the rules, there are four models, each of which is two, that is, four groups, namely the Ralink group, the Camry group, the Veranda group and the Highlander group. The final comparison will be between two cars in each group, such as the Highlander and another Highlander, the Camry and another Camry.
The key is coming, the rules that determine the outcome are very simple, if both cars finally arrive at the destination, then according to the amount of fuel refueling at this time to judge the winner, the party with the least amount of added fuel wins; if both cars do not reach the destination, then it is judged according to several dimensions such as total mileage, average fuel consumption, total elapsed time, etc.
After the fuel gauge is on, can it still hold 101.5km?
Well, I believe that everyone has a clearer understanding of the situation of the entire endurance extreme challenge. Next, we will go straight to the main topic, through a few key data, to see the new Highlander dual engine we are driving, how does the final performance?
On the first day of the race, we drove 529.6km, and in this case, the fuel consumption was half of the fuel, and the average fuel consumption of the gauge was 6.1L/100km. It should be mentioned that, taking into account the system settings and the calculation method, the specific average fuel consumption we have mentioned throughout this article is only for reference. Compared with the average fuel consumption, what is more critical is how far has the new Highlander dual engine filled with a tank of oil run?
The time came to the second day, and the second key point was that after driving 942.6km, the fuel gauge lit up and displayed the message "Please refuel". However, at this point we are still more than 100 kilometers away from our destination. According to common sense, after the vehicle fuel gauge is illuminated, it can generally travel 30 or 40km. Therefore, at this time, we can only feel the stones to cross the river, take one step at a time. After passing through the 101.5km of provincial highways and national highways, we completely ran out of fuel (engine stopped during the drive) on the national highway, which was still 10km from the end. At this time, the total mileage (the total mileage traveled in the 2-day race) is 1044.1km. It is worth mentioning that for two days, we used the energy-saving driving mode throughout the whole process.
That is to say, our new Highlander dual engine, after experiencing 80% of the highway section and 20% of the urban, provincial highways, and national highway comprehensive sections, "a tank of fuel" insisted on 1044.1km. It is worth mentioning that with the fuel gauge on the lights, we still drove 101.5km. You know, the new Highlander dual engine is an SUV with a length of nearly 5 meters and a weight of more than 2 tons. The fuel tank volume of 65L is not a "belly" for this "big man". I think it is reasonable to be able to achieve a super long endurance of more than 1,000km, but it is somewhat unexpected.
To be precise, Toyota's dual-engine model is very fuel-efficient, which is reasonable, but the environment of this competition is more special, such as the majority of high-speed sections, and the ambient temperature is very low (the average temperature is minus 7, 8 degrees).
For a smooth experience, E-CVT is key
Below, we will talk about the performance of the new Highlander dual engine power system, and the story behind the fuel saving. The new Highlander Dual Engine is equipped with Toyota's fourth-generation enhanced THSII hybrid system, which consists of a 2.5-liter self-priming engine, dual motors, battery packs, and a new generation of E-CVT electronic stepless transmission system. The so-called enhanced version refers to the larger battery capacity than the previous hybrid system (specific data has not been announced), and the comprehensive power of the motor is greater.
According to official data, this 2.5L self-priming engine has a maximum power of 192 horsepower and a peak torque of 237 Nm. Our model is a four-wheel drive version, which is equipped with dual front and rear motors, with a combined maximum power of 174 kW and a combined maximum torque of 391 Nm. Of these, the front motor is 134 kW and the rear motor is 40 kW.
In terms of performance, compared with the 2.0T power of the previous generation model, the difference is quite obvious. First of all, the "dual engine" is a combination of engine and motor, and at the start and at low speeds, the electric machine directly drives the vehicle. At this point, you will feel that this "big guy" is driving briskly and quietly. This smooth, brisk, quiet start is something that 2.0T power cannot give. Of course, pure electric driving is only an "illusion", and after the speed rises (more than 30, 40km/h), the engine will intervene.
What needs to be particularly noted here is that thanks to the blessing of the new generation of E-CVT electronic stepless transmission system, the cooperation between the engine and the motor can be described as flowing water, and the power can be seamlessly connected. You know, the previous generation of E-CVT did not have this experience, when the engine intervenes, you will obviously perceive the movement (not only sound, but also slight vibration).
Therefore, the embodiment of the high-grade sense of power in the new Highland dual engine is indispensable to the new generation of E-CVT. Maybe speaking of this, some friends have not yet figured out, what is E-CVT? To understand simply, it is not a gearbox in the traditional sense, but a CVT gearbox different from pulleys, but an electronic control system that allows the engine and motor to be seamlessly connected through the unique form of planetary gears. Work harmoniously. In other words, the engine and motor are two independent power units, and in order to achieve collaborative and efficient work, it is inseparable from the "command" and "coordination" of E-CVT.
The frequent involvement of the motor is to reduce the burden on the engine
In terms of power, in most cases, this power system is dominated by the engine, supplemented by the motor. Simply put, the engine can provide kinetic energy on the one hand, on the other hand, it can also transfer excess energy to the battery pack, and in the case of battery pack electricity, the engine and the motor can be powered at the same time, providing enough power to drive the vehicle. You know, as long as the motor is out, the engine can be appropriately "lazy" at this time, without too much fuel.
We can see from the energy flow display on the central control screen and the instrument screen that in most cases, the engine will transfer excess energy to the battery, especially in kinetic energy recovery mode, the battery will also be in a charged state. When the battery is fully charged, the power machine is frequently added to the vehicle drive. It is worth mentioning that due to the increased capacity of the battery pack, the new Highlander dual engine can achieve pure electric driving more easily and frequently. For example, when parking, and when walking and stopping at low speed in the city, ev mode can be turned on. In addition, even in high-speed sections, under working conditions within 80 km/h, with kinetic energy recovery, it is easy to achieve pure electric driving for short distances (several kilometers).
Therefore, I think that this hybrid system, the efficient work of the battery, from charging to discharging, so that the motor can be efficiently involved in the drive, the engine is naturally much easier, and fuel saving is a reasonable thing. Here, I would like to mention a special point, that is, the new Highlander dual engine running high-speed fuel cost? According to the actual situation, after the current speed exceeds 100 km/h, the fuel economy of the entire hybrid system will decrease, so even if it runs at high speed, its economic speed range is 70 to 90 km/h. Moreover, when the speed exceeds 80km/h, and then want to accelerate at full speed, the "hybrid performance" at this time is inferior to 2.0T in absolute power.
Ah Chuan commented on the car
This extreme challenge is a test of the new Highlander dual engine, but also a test of yourself. In terms of stability and fuel economy, individuals are more confident in Toyota and Highlander. Through this more than 1,000km journey, I have a deeper understanding of the new Highlander dual engine, especially this dual engine system. In fact, it does not require you to pay attention to the distribution of power, but the system will judge itself, under what kind of working conditions, how to coordinate the power to achieve the best fuel economy.
For the new Highlander Dual Engine, I think this powertrain is the essence. The feeling of driving up, especially in urban driving, it can give you even the feeling of a large-displacement self-priming engine, which is light and smooth enough; in terms of fuel saving, even if the high-speed section is occupied and the low temperature environment is high, it can still achieve a tank of fuel for more than 1000km. This kind of experience, at least for now, is beyond the reach of electric vehicles and fuel vehicles. At the moment when new energy technology is not yet mature, the existence of dual engine power must have its significance.