According to the "Energy-saving and New Energy Vehicle Technology Roadmap 2.0" plan released by the Society of Automotive Engineers of China, by 2025, the sales of new energy vehicles in the mainland should reach 20% (BEV18% + PHEV2%), and the sales of new hybrid vehicles should account for 50% of traditional cars (HEV + MHEV total 50%).
That is to say, by 2025, continental hybrid vehicles (HEV+ MHEV + PHEV) will account for 42% of total vehicle sales, reaching the level of annual sales of tens of millions of vehicles. Hybrid will become the largest blue ocean market in the Chinese automotive market in the next 5 years.
Considering that the emission standards (implemented by China 7) and the dual integral policy (5.5L/100km in 2020) are gradually tightening, and the travel energy supplement experience is improving year by year (the popularity of charging facilities), Yang Mi believes that by 2025, the MHEV of the motor that cannot drive the vehicle alone will be gradually replaced by HEV and PHEV.
From the perspective of market competition pattern, as of 2021, the main players of the self-owned brand strong mixing system are BYD, GAC, SAIC, Geely, Great Wall, Changan, chery 7, of which some car companies have been laying out and developing hybrid technology for 18 years.
These brands have basically completed the research and development of hybrid technology at the end of 2021, of which BYD has a faster pace, has preemptively completed technology research and development, core industry chain layout and product upgrades, and the remaining brands will also complete the upgrading of product lines to hybrid products in 2022, impacting market sales.
From the perspective of technical routes, hybrid technology routes can be divided into four types, namely series configuration, parallel configuration, shunt configuration and series parallel configuration.
Among them, BYD DM-i, Great Wall Lemon Hybrid DHT, Geely Ray God Intelligence Hi · X, Chery Kunpeng DHT, Changan iDD and GAC's self-developed GMC2.0 all belong to the series parallel configuration.
The difference is that in addition to BYD DM-i, the remaining 5 independent brands have adopted a multi-file series parallel configuration, and the engine access conditions are more extensive. Compared with the single-gear series parallel configuration, the multi-gear series parallel configuration has a wider range of engine intervention speed ranges and better power performance, but also because of the large number of units, it is large in size and slightly less fuel-saving than the single-gear configuration.
SAIC EDU2.0 and BYD DM-p use parallel configuration, which is the simplest and earliest hybrid technology, the main feature is better acceleration performance, but higher feeder fuel consumption.
GAC motor promotes the implementation of hybrid technology through two major technical routes, namely the 2.0TM+THS power shunt configuration cooperated with Toyota and the self-developed GMC2.0 (compatible hybrid/plug-in hybrid) 2-gear series parallel configuration.
The hybrid system cooperated with Toyota is currently installed in the latest generation of GAC Trumpchi GS8 listed, and the self-developed 2-speed series parallel hybrid system will be officially launched in 2022.
Next, we take a closer look at the hybrid system routes and product layouts of major independent brands.
I. Exploring the Accumulation of the 1.0 Era (2003-2015) (BYD, Geely, SAIC, GAC)
BYD is the first independent brand to cut into the hybrid track.
In 2003, Wang Chuanfu led the 3C battery king BYD to acquire Xi'an Qinchuan Automobile Co., Ltd. and began to build cars, when starting to build cars, BYD identified new energy as the main direction and began the research and development of DM1.0 hybrid platform (PHEV + special engine).
In 2008, the first model of THE BYD DM (DUAL MODE) hybrid platform was mass-produced and launched (BYD F3DM), powered by a 1.0 gasoline engine (50KW) and two electric motors (M1 25KW and M2 50KW), pure electric endurance of 100km, acceleration capacity is also outside 10S, but this is the world's first PHEV hybrid system mass production model.
This model, which now looks relatively backward, caused a great response at the time and was evaluated by the industry as the main direction of the future automotive industry.
From a technical point of view, BYD DM1.0 hybrid platform is the simplest parallel configuration of the strong mixing platform, which adopts a fixed-axis electromechanical coupling system and P1 + P2 dual motor structure.
After that, BYD launched a 4-wheel drive hybrid model of P1+P2+P4 in combination with P4 structure (three-in-one electric drive) on the basis of the DM platform.
BYD's progress in the direction of new energy has inspired other first-line brands in China. Based on this, Geely, SAIC and GAC have successively entered the hybrid market.
However, unlike BYD,00, which directly cuts into the motor battery, GAC uses the advantages of engine research and development to develop an ultra-high thermal efficiency hybrid special engine that matches the hybrid system as the starting point.
After 2011, GAC cooperated with the global engine technology oligarch AVL and FEV to develop efficient combustion technology, thus becoming the first company in China to successfully develop and mass-produce superheat efficiency Atkinson engines. After that, GAC Trumpchi laid out a parallel configuration hybrid platform (GMC1.0) based on a fixed-axis electromechanical coupling system and a P1+P3 dual motor structure, and a series platform for BEV extended range hybridization.
At the 2015 Guangzhou Auto Show, GAC Trumpchi shined in new energy, releasing 2 models and unveiling 2 products.
The most important of these is the first plug-in hybrid model on the GMC platform of GAC Group's parallel hybrid architecture, GAC Trumpchi's new GA5 PHEV plug-in hybrid version, which adopts a parallel configuration and has a comprehensive cruising range of 600km.
Interestingly, the GA5 PHEV is not the first hybrid model of GAC Trumpchi, and a few months before the release of the GA5 PHEV, GAC Trumpchi also released a GA5 BEV version of the model, which is also the main reason why Ideal Auto later regained BEV technology and was called backward by the industry.
With the blessing of two technical routes and the continuous listing of a number of new energy models, Wu Song, executive director of GAC Group and managing director of GAC Passenger Vehicles, said with great enthusiasm: "New energy is the main direction of attack in the next 5 years, and GAC Trumpchi will continue to exert efforts on the road of new energy vehicles." ”
SAIC Motor, which started with GAC, chose to imitate BYD's technical route, and its means are also very direct. According to industry sources, in 2008, SAIC directly poached a number of hybrid R & D team personnel from BYD and began to develop the EDU hybrid platform (PHEV) in 2009.
In order to avoid a series of patents for the planetary gear hybrid system, SAIC has developed a dedicated hybrid transmission based on a dual-motor structure, the electric drive transmission EDU (Electric Drive Unit),
In 2013, saicur EDU1.0 hybrid platform was mass-produced and launched (Roewe 550), which adopted a fixed-axis electromechanical coupling system and a dual motor structure of P1+P2, matching a 1.5L naturally aspirated engine.
Among them, the P1 motor, also known as the BSG motor, can realize the engine start and stop, series charging work, and the P2 motor can realize pure electric drive vehicles.
From the structural point of view, although SAIC dug up BYD's people, it did not copy BYD's hybrid technology design.
SAIC EDU1.0 is the first self-developed hybrid platform with a series parallel hybrid configuration in China, which is very similar to the Honda i-MMD at that time, the current BYD DM-i, and the Great Wall Lemon Hybrid DHT.
From the structural point of view, EDU1.0 is also the use of two-speed drive, compared with the hybrid scheme of the planetary gear system, the engine and motor can work at different speeds to participate in the drive, good dynamics.
The disadvantage is that all the current series parallel architecture is mainly electric, and the engine auxiliary power is supplemented, while the ISG motor of the SAIC EDU hybrid system at that time was only 27kw, and the drive motor was only 50kw, and the system was still based on the engine, and pure electricity was assisted.
In the later stage, vehicles can only use pure electric mode in severe low-speed congestion and creeping, so the energy-saving advantages of the series parallel architecture are not fully utilized.
But even so, in the official announcement of the 2015 Roewe 550 plug-in hybrid sedan, the fuel consumption of the feeder is 5.4 L/100 km, which is 30% compared with the traditional roewe 550 sedan (fuel consumption of 8.0 L/100 km).
After that, SAIC's first-generation EDU1.0 electric drive system was previously installed on many models including Roewe e550, Roewe eRX5, MG 6 plug-in hybrid version and other models, which once laid saic's leading position and reputation in the field of plug-in hybrid vehicles.
At the time when BYD, SAIC and GAC launched a number of models, Geely, which set off together, was still wavering in various hybrid technical routes.
From 2005 to 2007, Geely explored the direction of hybrid technology as MHEV mode. From 2007 to 2009, Geely explored the direction of hybrid technology such as PHEV, fixed-axis electromechanical coupling system, and single-motor structure. From 2009 to 2011, Geely explored the direction of hybrid technology as PHEV and planetary gear electromechanical coupling system. In 2010, Geely wholly acquired Volvo, and in 2011, Geely began to cooperate with Volvo in the development of the ePro Hybrid Platform (HEV+MHEV+PHEV, Fixed Shaft Electromechanical Coupling System), which is based on Volvo's Drive-E 1.5T engine technology and Volvo's MHEV technology. In 2014, Geely and Corun established a CHS (China Hybrid System) joint venture (Geely Holdings) and began to develop the CHS hybrid platform (based on the Toyota THS hybrid platform for replication and development, planetary gear electromechanical coupling system).
In 2015, 10 years into the market, Geely, which has tried various technical routes, has not yet launched any products.
From the current point of view, 2003 -- 2015 is the golden 12 years for independent brands to enter the hybrid market, in these 12 years, independent brands have taken the lead in completing the research and development of hybrid technology in the Chinese automotive market, and cultivated a group of talents for the market.
However, from the perspective of the market, these hybrid products were not recognized by the market in the early stage of listing, and as of 2015, the Chinese hybrid market only sold 60,700 vehicles (including foreign brands and light hybrids) in the whole year.
The reason is that the comprehensive performance of the product is not enough to impress consumers, such as the roewe 550 with better sales, the starting price is as high as 239,800 yuan (before subsidies), but the total power of the motor is only 50kw, equipped with an 11.8-degree lithium iron phosphate battery, the working mileage is only 60kw, and the recharge only supports slow charging, and it takes 6-8 hours to fill.
In addition, the latest Qin PHEV at that time was priced at 209,800-219,800 yuan (before subsidies) Due to the characteristics of the parallel structure, its feeder fuel consumption was as high as 10L/100km or more, known as 5S real men.
For users, these hybrid models are expensive, high fuel consumption, high failure rate, low retention rate, can not be compared to the same price of fuel models, only fools will buy.
II. The 2.0 Era of Leveraging Strengths and Avoiding Weaknesses (2015-2020)
After 2015, the technical route of self-owned brand hybrid technology began to diverge, and it was explored in the direction of avoiding foreign patents and localization.
First of all, in terms of technical patents, the parallel strong mixing system cannot escape the clutch of the P2 electric mechanism, but the control and smoothness of the shift fork is an insurmountable problem for domestic enterprises, and many users have a fresh memory of the breakthrough between the fuel drive and the motor drive switching.
In order to eliminate the phenomenon of sudden setbacks when switching between different electromechanical coupling modes, BYD and SAIC have changed the hybrid topology in the second-generation hybrid platform, bypassing the P2 electric mechanism type.
After 2017, BYD developed a two-mode DM second-generation hybrid system, referred to as the DM2.0 hybrid system.
Structurally, BYD's dual-mode DM 2.0 hybrid system is a typical P1+P3 structure, consisting of a 1.5T engine and a 6DCT transmission and an 110kW drive motor.
This system is characterized by the motor added to the output of the gearbox, directly connected to the reducer, the motor power and torque can be very large, based on this BYD also put forward the full range of models 100 km acceleration within the 4S strategic goal.
In addition to the greater torque, because the engine and the electric drive system are relatively independent, and if either of the systems is damaged, the vehicle can still drive normally and the reliability is greatly improved.
However, this system is still a parallel configuration, which makes the advantages and disadvantages of BYD's dual-mode DM2.0 hybrid system further amplified, that is, the acceleration is stronger and the fuel consumption of the feed is higher.
If BYD is to strengthen and upgrade the original technical route, then the SAIC EDU hybrid platform has gone to another route.
After 2016, SAIC motor released the second generation of EDU (mass production, referred to as EDU2.0), which uses a 10-speed transmission structure.
The core components of the EDU2.0 electric drive system are a 6-speed transmission at the engine end and a 4-speed transmission at the motor end. The 6-speed transmission is coaxially connected to the engine, the 4-speed transmission is coaxially connected to the TM drive motor, and the two powertrains are arranged in parallel, transmitting power to the wheels through the middle output shaft.
Therefore, from the structural point of view, the second generation of EDU electric drive system belongs to the layout structure of three parallel axes.
From the configuration point of view, the second generation of EDU electric drive system canceled the P1 motor, which makes the configuration of the SAIC hybrid technology route from a series parallel configuration to a parallel configuration, the advantage is that the acceleration performance is greatly improved, equipped with the system MG 6PHEV zero hundred acceleration of 5.9S, the disadvantage is that the fuel-saving type of the system is not as good as before.
To this end, some industry insiders said that SAIC EDU2.0 is a strategic misjudgment caused by a regression, and the solid 10-file physical structure makes the structure of the hybrid system very bulky, and the cancellation of the ISG motor also makes the system not have the ability to drive for long distances with pure electricity, and the fuel consumption is greatly increased.
Geely Automobile, which opened in the first echelon, did not launch a hybrid model based on the CHS hybrid platform until 2017, the Emgrand PHEV.
Deyi and Corun established a joint venture, which uses a star gear type electromechanical coupling system, which is also the first shunt hybrid system in China.
The difference is that, in order to avoid Toyota's patented technology, the Geely CHS is composed of a double row of planetary gears and three clutches, and the system uses a more complex structure, and the Toyota THS system is composed of single planetary gears.
Compared with the single-row planetary gear of Toyota THS, the double-row planetary gear of Geely CHS has a wider range of gear ratios, which can reduce the speed requirements of the motor to a certain extent.
The official claim of emgrand PHEV equipped with this technology is 4.9L/100km, and the media measured feed is about 5.7L/100km, which was second only to the Japanese two fields at that time.
Interestingly, Geely did not use the technology, and by 2018, Geely sold all of its stake in the CHS joint venture and exited the CHS joint venture.
According to industry sources, the main reason why Geely launched the research and development of the shunt configuration hybrid technology is that the system has extremely high requirements for the manufacturing process and accuracy of planetary reduction gears, and the production technology of high-precision planetary reduction gears is completely monopolized by Japanese companies.
Another reason for abandoning the development of the shunt configuration is that geely's early epro hybrid platform with volvo developed a fixed-axis electromechanical coupling system has made rapid progress, which has given Geely a guarantee card.
During the same period, the first model of the Geely epro hybrid platform was mass-produced and launched, which adopted a fixed-axis electromechanical coupling system and a P2.5 single motor structure (subsequently installed on geely and Lynk & Co series models).
The system belongs to the parallel configuration, the structure is a dual-clutch transmission on the even axis integrated a drive motor, theoretically the motor is neither P1 nor P2, so it was named P2.5 structure.
As with all hybrid products in parallel configurations, the biggest drawback of the system is the high fuel consumption of the feeder, so it is not welcomed by consumers.
At the same time, Geely launched the research and development of the next generation of multi-file series parallel configuration hybrid technology (Thor hybrid Hi · X）。
Compared with the first echelon of BYD, Geely, GAC, and SAIC, Great Wall Motors laid out a late layout in hybridization and did not establish research and development until around 2013.
Or can not wait to enter the market to sell cars, or in response to the requirements of new energy points, some industry insiders said that Great Wall Motors did not take the independent research route after the hybrid system was established, but adopted a strategy of purchasing patchwork.
Among them, the German studio is responsible for the electric drive and controller part, and the Indian studio is responsible for the hybrid system strategy and software part, so the Great Wall Pi4 hybrid platform has completely become a replica of the hybrid system of European car companies, and the original P0 + P4 separate motor structure belongs to the parallel configuration.
This technology was later put on mass production and launched on models such as the WEY VV7 PHEV, but it could only be discontinued due to high power loss and fuel consumption.
Overall, Great Wall Motors has not accumulated much experience from the development of hybrid products. After 2018, new energy and hybrid became the national strategy, and Great Wall Motors added the research and development layout of a new hybrid product - lemon hybrid DHT.
In 2020, Great Wall Motors released a 2-speed lemon hybrid DHT hybrid platform with a string-parallel configuration in Baoding.
Since the research and development cost of an intergenerational hybrid platform of a certain technical route is more than 1.5 billion yuan, the technical route of the hybrid platform will continue for at least 5 years once it is established. Therefore, in the past 5 years, the development of the technical route of domestic hybrid enterprises is the process of leveraging strengths and avoiding weaknesses, and deep localization customization.
When it was found that the planetary reduction gear problem could not be solved, the planetary gear type electromechanical coupling route was abandoned, and when it was found that the P2 motor control problem could not be solved, the P2 topology route was abandoned.
At the same time, with the rapid landing of new energy in China and the convenience of energy replenishment, users are more inclined to a hybrid model with electric energy charging, no power and fuel saving, and the series parallel configuration has become the best choice. BYD, Geely, Great Wall and GAC have adopted the series-parallel configuration hybrid product research and development.
In the continuous exploration and search, independent brands have finally found their own hybrid technology route.
Third, the 3.0 era on the eve of the product outbreak (after 2020)
With the main expulsion force of new energy gradually becoming market-driven, the hybrid technology of independent brands has matured, and after 2020, China's auto market has officially entered the era of hybrid outbreak.
The first pig to fly in the wind is undoubtedly the most strategically focused and time-intensive BYD.
Since 2018, BYD's DM hybrid platform has entered the 3.0 era, and ATD has changed its strategy to be market-oriented (low fuel consumption) and has formulated two evolutionary routes: DM-P (high performance) and DM-i (low fuel consumption).
DM-p continues high performance and pursues the ultimate power experience, so it still uses P0+P3 dual motor structure or P0+P3+P4 three-motor structure (front and rear axle electric four-wheel drive structure) ;D M-i tossing and turning to pursue low fuel consumption, using P1+P3 dual motor, single-gear series parallel configuration.
BYD learned from GAC's special engine research and development model, and cooperated with the global engine technology oligarch AVL, FEV, and RICARDO to develop the Atkinson 1.5L Snap Cloud-Plug Hybrid Special High Efficiency Engine using efficient combustion technology, with a thermal efficiency of 43.04%, which is 2.04% higher than the record of the highest thermal efficiency of mass production (41%) that Toyota of Japan has always maintained.
In addition, in terms of pure electric endurance, the system can create a 10-20 degree blade battery, pure electric endurance of up to 120km, and equipped with fast charging, half an hour can be fully charged 80%.
With the combination of new configurations, thermally efficient engines, blade batteries, and other technologies, BYD delivered its first DM-i model, the Qin Plus DM-i, in March 2021. At the same time, the model has multiple advantages such as low fuel consumption (3.6L/100km), cheap price (starting from 110,000), long endurance of pure electricity, and the use of new energy licenses.
Under the support of DM-i technology, BYD's plug-in and hybrid models exploded by 467.6% year-on-year in 2021, with a cumulative delivery of 273,000 vehicles.
After BYD, Great Wall Motors' second-generation hybrid platform (Lemon Hybrid HEV+PHEV) models released in 2020 have also been launched, but due to the late start, the platform's first model, the Weipai Machido DHT PHEV, was launched in December 2021.
The system adopts a two-speed series parallel configuration, equipped with a 37.8-degree battery pack, and has a pure electric endurance of up to 200km; this is also the highest pure electric endurance plug-and-mix model currently produced.
However, the research and development of the lemon hybrid platform was launched too late, and in such a short period of 3 years, to create a mature product, it still needs market verification. In addition, the key technical indicators of the lemon hybrid system, such as: engine thermal efficiency, engine efficiency area, motor efficiency, motor efficiency area, electronic control efficiency, electronic control efficiency area, system transmission efficiency, etc. have not been announced.
But in any case, Great Wall Motors, which is accelerating its catch-up, delivered its own new hybrid products at the end of 2021, which is worth encouraging.
In 2020, GAC Motor, which resumed hybrid technology research and development, also began to accelerate, and in 2021, it announced the latest green engine hybrid platform, including the research and development of a new generation of series parallel technology. Gossip, may use P1 + P3 dual motor 2-gear series parallel configuration, consistent with the existing Great Wall Lemon Hybrid DHT.
SAIC has not changed, it is still iteratively upgrading the EDU parallel configuration hybrid technology platform, and has not heard of the plan to create a series parallel configuration hybrid platform.
In October 2021, Geely released the Thor God Intelligence Hi · X, finally pressed the tail to launch the latest generation of three-speed DHT Pro series parallel configuration hybrid system, which adopts the P1 + P2 motor structure, matches the 43.32% thermal efficiency three-cylinder engine, 100 km fuel consumption is only 4.3L, and is currently equipped in the Hoshigoku L Raytheon HI · Pre-sales of the X-version model begin.
In addition, Changan and Chery, which saw the outlet, also released their own hybrid technology routes and product plans for 2020-2021.
In 2017, Changan released the "Shangri-La Plan", which determined the research and development of hybrid technology.
In 2021, Changan launched the iDD hybrid system and said that its performance can be compared with the BYD DM-i and the Great Wall Lemon Hybrid DHT, which matches the Blue Whale engine, is equipped with a 30.7kWh battery, and has a comprehensive endurance of 1100km.
Interestingly, Changan, which has been publicized for a long time, has not yet shown the product schematic diagram and working condition diagram of the iDD hybrid system, and the products of this parameter are only at the level of the parameter friend.
Chery also announced the technical route of Chery Kunpeng Hybrid DHT in 2021, and later announced the important parameters, 3 engines, 3 blocks, 9 modes and 11 speed technical advantages.
However, the schematic and condition diagram have not yet been published.
In June 2021, Chery announced that the Tiggo 8 PLUS PHEV equipped with Kunpeng Hybrid DHT technology will be available soon, and at the end of 2021, Chery announced that its high-end Starway Wind Chasing PHEV will be the first model equipped with this technology to be mass-produced.
Whether it is a product strategy adjustment or technology to be improved, Chery, which hopes to skip tickets for half a year, can successfully launch products in 2022.
It can be seen that in the 3.0 stage, almost all the head independent brands have determined the transformation to the hybrid technology route, and are transforming to the hybrid DHT system with an increasingly integrated degree of serial parallel configuration.
But from the perspective of technical reserves, some people have been focusing on this road for 18 years, and in 2021 they have won a part of the market; some people started early, but they abandoned their martial arts in the middle; some people wavered in the research and development route and wasted time; some people are catching up and launching the first self-developed products before the outlet; some people are seeing the outlet and just starting.
Written on the eve of the outbreak of the hybrid market in 2022: the knife and gun have not been seen, and the victory and defeat have been divided.