As soon as it was announced that Chinese brands Omoda and Jaecoo had presented record-breaking efficiency internal combustion engine technology, their achievement was overshadowed by a new record, albeit by a minimal percentage amount. Namely, the Chinese car manufacturer Dongfeng presented its new Mach 1.5T hybrid power unit, which sets a new global standard in the automotive industry.
Record for 0.09%
This power unit, developed in-house, achieved a thermal efficiency of as much as 48.09%, which was officially confirmed by the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC) by awarding it the “Energy Efficiency Star” certificate.
The aforementioned Omoda and Jaecoo, from the rival Chery Group, recently announced an engine with 48% thermal efficiency, so the difference between these solutions is really minimal – but Dongfeng can boast that their solution became the first hybrid gasoline engine in the world to break the 48% thermal efficiency limit.
Behind the record stands a series of advanced technical solutions, including an innovative combustion system with a high compression ratio of over 15.5 and a high-pressure fuel injection system of as much as 500 bar. The engine uses a hybrid-friendly variable geometry turbocharger, valve seatless cylinder design, and advanced friction-reducing technologies such as an electric oil pump and thermal cylinder spray.
For end users, these figures bring concrete advantages in everyday driving, primarily through reduced fuel consumption and increased vehicle range. According to the manufacturer, each percent increase in thermal efficiency reduces consumption by 0.3 liters per 100 kilometers when the battery is empty, and the new engine should allow approximately 100 kilometers more range per tank of fuel compared to the previous generation. Dongfeng has announced that the record-breaking Mach 1.5T engine will soon begin to be installed in production car models.