Baoding, China – Haval’s parent company GWM has taken the wraps off its new-generation hybrid technology platform, which it calls Hi4, or Hybrid Intelligent 4WD.
The Chinese carmaker wants to make waves in the hybrid SUV market by offering the best combination of performance, safety and efficiency.
Combining petrol and electric power, vehicles underpinned by this architecture will offer system outputs of up to 340kW, GWM says. The company is also promising industry-leading thermal efficiency, made possible by an advanced combustion system, high-pressure direct injection and low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation technology.
It appears that the first vehicle to be underpinned by this platform will be the upcoming B07, which will likely receive a more imaginative name in international markets.
While the B07 SUV, which appears slightly bigger than the H6, will have a plug-in hybrid set-up with an electric-only range of up to 86km, it won’t receive the full 340kW output, at least not initially. According to Car News China, its drivetrain will feature a 113kW 1.5-litre turbopetrol engine paired with an electric motor.
Models underpinned by the Hi4 platform can theoretically offer a range of over 100km on pure electric power, thanks to a high-capacity lithium-ion battery pack.
According to GWM, the Hi4 platform boasts three new breakthroughs in hybrid technology. These include a new e-hybrid architecture that allows for more rugged off-road use, as well as new dynamic control tech that relies on milliseconds-grade high-precision sensing, and a new performance-enhancing electromechanical coupling transmission system.
The e-hybrid architecture pairs a petrol engine with two electric motors to achieve series-parallel four-wheel drive. It also includes an Intelligent Torque Vectoring Control system (iTVC), which can instantly vary torque between the front and rear axles
“The Hi4 platform provides powerful performance and lower fuel consumption, and with its innovative dual-motor and dual-axis control functions, it also improves handling stability and driving safety during turns,” said GWM.