Reporter Fang Chao and Quartz Jing report from Shanghai
"The development of plug-in hybrid technology is the trend of the times, and it is also the only way for Chinese automobiles to lead the world." On May 10, Yao Chunde, a professor at Tianjin University and deputy director of the "China Heart" Top Ten Engine Judges, told the media, including the reporter of China Business News, at the DMH Technology Brand Conference.
The plug-in hybrid model, which hits the pain points of users, has now entered the fast lane of development. On May 11, data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed that from January to April this year, the sales of plug-in hybrid models increased by 84.5% year-on-year, much higher than the 12.8% growth rate of pure electric vehicles in the same period.
With rising sales and fierce competition, many car companies are competing to start a "breakthrough war" for plug-in hybrid vehicle technology. According to public information, BYD may launch the fifth-generation DMI hybrid technology in May, and the next-generation Geely Thor electric hybrid platform will also be released this year, and on May 10, the eighth Chinese brand day, SAIC Roewe also officially released the DMH technology brand.
(Zu Qijie, vice president and chief engineer of SAIC.) Photo courtesy of the enterprise)
"Brand building is an important support for the further development of the mainland's intelligent networked new energy vehicle industry." Zu Qijie, Vice President and Chief Engineer of SAIC Group, emphasized, "The launch of DMH super hybrid technology is a 'super fusion' of science and technology SAIC, quality SAIC, and responsibility SAIC, and it is also an important practice to launch the SAIC brand. ”
Sales of plug-in hybrid models continue to climb
"Plug-in hybrid technology is driven by strong user demand in China. The U.S. market is accustomed to large-displacement engines and has no R&D power; The Japanese market is eyeing HEVs and hydrogen; Due to the small size of the country and the narrow streets of the city in the European market, the pain points of users for battery life and energy supplement are not prominent, and there is a lack of rigid demand for plug-in hybrid products. China's market environment and user needs provide a natural 'fertile soil' for car companies to develop plug-in hybrid technology. Yao Chunde said.
"The leading plug-in hybrid technology can only be done well by Chinese car companies." In Yao Chunde's view, what is more important is that the breakthrough of Chinese car companies in plug-in hybrid technology is not to show off their skills, but to be based on real use scenarios, integrating the advantages of traditional fuel vehicles and electric vehicles, and bringing users a real optimal solution for travel.
Lu Yong, deputy general manager of SAIC Passenger Car Company, executive vice president of SAIC Innovation Research and Development Institute, and executive deputy director of the technology center, also said bluntly, "At present, hybrid technology is blooming, products are emerging in an endless stream, and user acceptance is getting higher and higher, and some data predict that by 2025, pure electric and plug-in hybrid will have a 1:1 situation." The spring of plug-in hybrids is already around us. ”
According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, in the first four months of this year, the sales of new energy vehicles reached 2.94 million, a year-on-year increase of 32.3%, of which the sales of pure electric vehicles were 1.824 million, a year-on-year increase of 12.8%, while the sales of plug-in hybrid models were 1.115 million, although they were still not as good as pure electric vehicles, but the growth rate was as high as 84.5%, maintaining a strong momentum of development.
The sales of plug-in hybrid models have risen, the leading car companies have intensively increased their weight, and SAIC, which has been deeply engaged in the plug-in hybrid field for more than ten years, has also become the focus of attention from the outside world.
According to information from SAIC, as early as 2010, SAIC Motor made a forward-looking layout in the field of plug-in hybrid technology, and regarded it as a technology worthy of long-term investment. In 2017, SAIC's self-developed first-generation EDU hybrid technology won the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award, which was not only the only automotive project among the award-winning projects that year, but also the first time that new energy technology won a national science and technology award.
Taking DMH super hybrid technology as an example, according to SAIC, the technology has three technical characteristics: modularization, integration and exclusivity. According to the modular design and serial configuration, the system can match different hybrid routes such as PHEV/EREV/HEV through a set of systems, which can cover the driving needs and fuel consumption regulations of different users around the world.
"The system has a number of leading technologies such as the industry's first 'energy domain' global thermal management, powertrain brain PICU, engine + P1 motor coaxial structure, etc., with software algorithms as the core, matching special high-efficiency engines, gearboxes, long-range batteries and other special hardware for hybrids, 'both soft and hard', to achieve super integration, to achieve the strongest performance and optimal indicators." SAIC Motor introduced.
Roewe's sword refers to the "first camp of the gangster"
Behind the release of hard-core plug-in hybrid technology, SAIC Roewe has also applied DMH super hybrid technology to corresponding models.
According to information from SAIC, at present, DMH super hybrid technology has been first installed in the "long-range super-hybrid cloud-sensing car" Roewe D7 DMH and the "long-range new mainstream hybrid SUV" Roewe D5X DMH, and the product strength has been widely recognized by users and professional media.
"Not long ago, the Roewe D7 DMH challenged the 2000km limit range on behalf of its own brand B-class car, and finally overcame the impact of bad weather to complete the 1962km ultra-long range and the average fuel consumption of 2.8L per 100km, realizing the transformation of technical value from technical strength to scene application, showing the strength of Chinese brands to break through the Japanese hybrid 'endurance myth'." SAIC Motor introduced.
The reporter noted that the Roewe D5X DMH will be officially launched on May 20, in the view of Park Chunxu, chief marketing officer of SAIC Passenger Vehicle Company, compared with other products, Roewe D5X DMH has obvious advantages in power, battery, safety, materials and other aspects.
"In terms of power, the Roewe D5X DMH uses a 1.5T hybrid special engine, which provides higher power attributes, better climbing ability, passability, etc. The 1.5-liter Roewe D5X DMH can achieve two performances: 6.9 seconds to 100 km/h and a top speed of 200 km/h. Park Chun-wook introduced.
At the same time, Park Chunxu said, "We have spared no effort in safety investment. The proportion of high-strength steel used in the whole vehicle reaches 79%, in fact, in the industry, the safety level that everyone can feel can be achieved with 60% or 70% high-strength steel, but we use 79%. In addition, the proportion of ultra-high-strength steel used reaches 44%, which is a cost that everyone does not see. ”
It is worth noting that in addition to accelerating the implementation of DMH super hybrid technology, SAIC is accelerating the iterative upgrading of this technology.
Qiu Jie, vice president of SAIC Innovation Research and Development Institute and general manager of Jieneng Automobile Co., Ltd., said that in the next three years, the DMH super hybrid technology brand will improve its performance in five key areas: engine, gearbox, battery, motor, and energy control brain.
Qiu Jie introduced that the thermal efficiency of the engine will break through to 46% and take the lead in reaching the "Euro VII" emission standard in China; In terms of transmission technology, the target CO2 emissions of the diesel-electric hybrid route will not exceed 95g/km, and the plug-in hybrid and extended-range electric routes will adopt a new configuration of dual coaxial scheme; The energy control brain continues to be optimized, and the next-generation vehicle energy center concept is expected to be released in 2025.
"The release of the DMH super hybrid technology brand marks that SAIC Roewe will start the quality and value war of its own brand 'national team' in the homogeneous new energy market with a more confident brand image and stronger product competitiveness, and help China's new energy vehicle industry develop towards high quality and high level. In the future, relying on the DMH super hybrid technology brand, Roewe will also gather superior resources from all parties to accelerate the creation of the 'first camp of plug-in hybrids', and provide global users with new hybrid options of Chinese brands." SAIC emphasized.
(Editor: Quartz Jing Review: Tong Haihua Proofreader: Zhai Jun)