At the recently held Beijing Auto Show, Geely officially presented the fifth generation of the Emgrand i-HEV model, a hybrid sedan that immediately attracted the attention of the world public after its premiere. Namely, they published the results of testing in real conditions, where the vehicle recorded a consumption of only – 2.22 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers. This result was officially reported to the Guinness Book of Records as the lowest fuel consumption for a serial hybrid vehicle, thus surpassing the efficiency of previous market leaders, such as the Toyota Prius.
Optimized and economical
The fascinating result is based on the new BMA Evo architecture and the intelligent i-HEV hybrid system. The powertrain uses a configuration with two electric motors and an integrated “11-in-1” drive unit. The specially developed hybrid engine achieved a thermal efficiency certificate of 48.41%, which is currently the highest value among production engines in the world. According to official data, the electric drive dominates in more than 80% of driving scenarios according to the WLTC standard, which reduces the operation of the internal combustion engine by more than 27% compared to conventional hybrids.
In addition to economy, Geely has made significant progress in performance and comfort. The drive motor delivers a peak power of 230 kW, and the car can drive exclusively on electric power up to a speed of 66 km/h. The system additionally relies on AI technology and “smart” sensors that continuously monitor parameters such as humidity, temperature and altitude. This data is used to dynamically optimize energy management, which further improves efficiency by more than 10%.
The hybrid-specific battery pack uses liquid cooling and is IP68 certified for dust and water resistance. Geely points out that the system has undergone rigorous endurance tests of 15,000 hours on test benches, which is equivalent to a distance of approximately 4.8 million kilometers in real driving, with functionality checked at extreme altitudes of up to 4,650 meters.
Design advanced
Special attention was paid to the reduction of noise and vibrations by using active noise control, which reduced the sound level in the cabin to only one decibel more than in all-electric vehicles. The vehicle’s cabin is equipped with a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen and a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel.
In terms of design, the hybrid version retains the recognizable lines of the standard gasoline version with an accentuated front fascia and LED daytime running lights. The body is made of 70% high-strength steel. Geely has confirmed that the i-HEV technology will be extended to other models in their offer during 2026, which means that advanced hybrid solutions are planned to be made available to a wider range of customers in a price-competitive segment.