Last summer, Chery set a record for the longest range for plug-in hybrid crossovers. At that time, the Chery Fulwin T10 petrol-electric SUV entered the Guinness Book of Records, having travelled 2,100 km on one tank and battery charge. Competing concern SAIC decided not to lag behind and aimed at an absolute record for the longest range for plug-in hybrids, regardless of the car format. This task was set for the Roewe D7 sedan.
This car on the modular platform Nebula debuted a year ago, and, in addition to the hybrid version, the range also includes a purely electric one. In terms of size, the Roewe D7 is close to the usual Toyota Camry: length – 4890 mm, width – 1872 mm, height – 1510 mm. The wheelbase is 2810 mm. The D7 DMH (Dual Mode Hybrid) hybrid is equipped with a 1.5 naturally aspirated engine (112 hp), which has high thermal efficiency (more than 43%) and geometric compression ratio (16:1), a traction electric motor with a capacity of 204 hp and a single-stage transmission. The system can operate in both parallel and sequential modes, rotating the front wheels, but peak power does not exceed the “electric” 204 hp.
A traction battery with a capacity of 21.4 kWh and a fuel tank of 55 liters are installed. The declared mileage in electric mode is 125 km, and the total cruising range is 1,400 km according to the CLTC cycle. However, during the record run, the Roewe D7 DMH significantly exceeded it, having traveled 2,208 km on a full tank and with a fully charged battery. The average fuel consumption was only 2.49 l/100 km. Thus, the SAIC concern has already become the fourth Chinese automaker (after BYD, Geely and Chery), whose plug-in hybrid was able to travel more than 2,000 km.
The record run took four days and ran from Lanzhou to Urumqi. Along the way, the Roewe D7 DMH crossed several mountain passes and visited Turpan, which is considered one of the hottest cities in China, as it is located in the Gobi Desert. The altitude difference on the route was 1,600 meters, and the difference in daily temperature reached 30 degrees (the minimum was -8°C). In addition, the hybrid's wheels did not always have smooth, dry asphalt: wet and icy surfaces, as well as country and gravel roads, were reported.
The Roewe D7 DMH hybrid sedan set a world range record under the watchful eye of representatives of the Guinness Book of Records. They sealed the gas cap and charging port to ensure that there were no refuelings or recharging. Moreover, the VIN code of the car was checked at all stages to exclude the possibility of substitution of the test sample.