The promises of BYD’s fifth-generation plug-in hybrid engine. © Autohome
If sales of plug-in hybrids (PHEV) have fallen in Europe, these cars retain strong appeal in China. BYD, the world leader in connected cars (electric and plug-in hybrids combined), has just presented the fifth generation of its plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Quite concise on the technical details of its engine, BYD is much less concise on its promises of autonomy and consumption. Thanks to an excellent thermal efficiency of 46.06%, its gasoline engine would only consume 2.9 l/100 km and its electric motor would make do with 10.7 kWh/100 km. According to Chinese media Autohomethese two values are however respectively communicated according to the NEDC and CLTC cycles, much less strict than the WLTP protocol now used in Europe, already not the most demanding.
BYD’s fifth-generation plug-in hybrid powertrain. © BYD Auto Co., Ltd.
With these consumption figures announced as very low, cars equipped with this new plug-in hybrid engine could theoretically travel up to 2,100 km without stopping at a charging station or at the pump. The autonomy measured during tests carried out by BYD would have even reached 2500 km, but without any details on the conditions of this test. The manufacturer also does not provide the tank capacity of its cars, equipped with a battery of 10.08 kWh (80 km of CLTC electric range) or 15.874 kWh (120 km of CLTC electric range).
The first two models to be equipped with this engine will be the Qin L DM-i and Seal 06 DM-i sedans, each sold from 99,800 yuan (around €12,740).
The BYD Qin L DM-i, one of two cars to inaugurate the manufacturer’s new plug-in hybrid technology. © BYD Auto Co., Ltd.
2100 km of autonomy, is it really necessary?
The most efficient hybrid and diesel cars already allow you to travel around 1000 km on a full tank, according to the WLTP cycle used in Europe. Certainly, a range of more than 2000 km would theoretically allow you to reach Munich and Madrid without stopping, but this scenario seems rather fanciful to us when it is recommended to take a break every two hours on the road.
Above all, it would be enough to fit a tank of around a hundred liters to most hybrid or diesel cars for them to reach 2000 km of autonomy. Only the efficiency of BYD’s engine would therefore be truly impressive, but the values communicated on very optimistic cycles are difficult to interpret. As we know, the fuel consumption of a plug-in hybrid car can be very high when its battery is discharged. To be seen in real conditions, therefore.