Fuel consumption 2.22L, thermal efficiency 48.41%: Geely i-HEV Intelligent Hybrid sets new records

Engine thermal efficiency: 48.41%;

Combined fuel consumption per 100 kilometers: 2.22L;

Motor power: 230kW.

These are the core parameters of Geely's i-HEV ZhiCheng hybrid technology.

On April 13, Geely Automobile Group officially launched the 'i-HEV ZhiCheng Hybrid' technical solution in Hangzhou.This is a hybrid oil-electric system powered by AI, empowered by the All-domain AI 2.0 and the Nebula AI Cloud Power 2.0 large model, achieving technological upgrades in five dimensions: intelligence, energy saving, performance, safety, and reliability.$GEELY AUTO (00175.HK)$

The core objective of this system is to balance ultra-low fuel consumption, strong electric driving experience, high safety, and long lifespan without relying on charging, providing a smooth electrification transition solution for fuel vehicle users.

The i-HEV Intelligent Power Hybrid system was launched into mass production immediately upon release.By the end of this year, mainstay models in the Chinese Star series, including Xingrui, Xingyue L, the fourth-generation Boyue L, and the fifth-generation Emgrand, will successively be equipped with this system, with two models starting presales on April 19.

AI empowers all domains, hybrids bid farewell to 'mechanical matching' and enter the intelligent era.

Under the empowerment of All-domain AI 2.0, Geely's i-HEV Intelligent Power Hybrid technology fully adopts the GEEA 3.0 dedicated intelligent electronic and electrical architecture, offering higher data bandwidth and robust cloud-edge collaboration capabilities, revolutionizing the intelligent experience of traditional hybrids.

In the power domain, i-HEV is the first to feature the Nebula AI Cloud Power 2.0 large model.The system uses AI to sense environmental data such as external temperature, humidity, altitude, and slope gradient in real time, intelligently matching the optimal oil-electric strategy.According to Geely's calculations,the intervention of AI Cloud Power can improve overall vehicle energy savings by more than 10%.Taking daily commuting in cities as an example, AI can predict the routes commonly used by users, pre-charge the battery on clear roads, and prioritize electric power on congested roads, reducing the use of engines in inefficient zones. In weekend outing scenarios, the system can recognize uphill and downhill sections as well as traffic light conditions ahead, intelligently adjusting the energy recovery intensity.

In terms of chassis, i-HEV Zhicheng Hybrid adopts the latest AI digital chassis technology, integrating a CCD suspension system, heartbeat fitting technology that synchronizes with the driver, and a CST comfort braking system, among others.Geely Auto stated that intelligent cabins equipped with the Eva intelligence system and assisted driving functions equipped with LiDAR will also be gradually implemented in the i-HEV Zhicheng Hybrid models.

In terms of hybrid configuration, i-HEV adopts a solution that supports both fuel and electricity as well as hybrid connection.It supports three modes: pure electric, hybrid connection, and direct engine drive, covering four major operating conditions including low-speed pure electric, urban series-parallel, high-speed direct drive, and parallel acceleration.This configuration addresses issues like higher energy consumption caused by the inability of some traditional hybrids (such as Toyota THS) to directly drive at high speeds and insufficient power during re-acceleration.

48.41% thermal efficiency + 2.22L fuel consumption, setting a new energy-saving record

The most notable figures for i-HEV Zhicheng Hybrid come from the engine's thermal efficiency and overall vehicle fuel consumption. Certified by the China Automotive Technology and Research Center,its dedicated hybrid engine achieves a peak thermal efficiency of 48.41%, breaking the industry record for mass-produced engines. According to calculations by Geely engineers, every 1% increase in thermal efficiency reduces vehicle fuel consumption by 2%-3%.From the first-generation hybrid engine’s thermal efficiency of 43.32% in 2021 to today's 48.41%, it took Geely five years to increase thermal efficiency by more than five percentage points.

The technical path to achieving this breakthrough includes three components: the full-link energy management system of 'Joule Engineering,' the 'Tornado Flame' combustion system, and the 'Mirror Surface Engineering' friction reduction technology.

In the view of Ren Xiangfei, Chief Engineering Technology Scientist at Geely Auto Group, about 80% of the energy in traditional fuel vehicles is wasted as heat. The energy flow chart drawn by Geely engineers shows that each liter of fuel contains 32.3 megajoules of energy, leaving approximately 12.9 megajoules after engine conversion. In urban low-speed conditions, due to the engine operating in inefficient zones, the effective output drops to about 10 megajoules. Frequent braking results in an additional loss of 3 megajoules, leaving less than 7 megajoules of energy ultimately used to drive the vehicle.

Ren Xiangfei stated that the engine accounts for at least 66% of energy loss, followed by efficiency waste caused by varying driving conditions. The difference in engine efficiency between high-speed and low-speed congested road conditions can be as much as 13.7%. Additionally, braking losses offer more than 4% potential for energy savings.

The goal of Joule Engineering is to track the destination of every joule, reducing waste through three approaches: improving thermal efficiency, optimizing energy consumption across all driving conditions, and enhancing energy recovery.

The core of 'Tornado Flame' lies in the optimization of combustion efficiency.Geely engineers introduced AI for Science large models, increasing the solution accuracy of the Navier-Stokes equations (the fundamental governing equations of fluid dynamics) from the traditional 80% to over 97%, based on which they designed parameter combinations such as the 'duckbill-shaped' intake port, contoured piston top, 1.39 stroke-to-bore ratio, and a high compression ratio of 15.5.Coupled with a 500-bar ultra-high-pressure injection system and a 150 millijoule high-energy ignition coil, the fuel is atomized into micron-level molecular clusters, achieving thorough mixing and rapid combustion.

'Mirror Surface Engineering' focuses on friction loss.There are a total of 118 pairs of friction surfaces inside the engine. Taking the piston and cylinder as an example, under working conditions of 2000 revolutions per minute, the number of friction occurrences reaches up to 960,000 times per hour.After more than 200 rounds of component and engine testing, and adjustments of over 70 types of lubricating materials and coating formulas, Geely engineers ultimately applied 11 friction-reduction technologies including precision grinding and polishing processes, diamond-like carbon coatings, and low-viscosity motor oil, reducing friction losses by 16.3%.Converted into thermal efficiency, this is equivalent to an increase of approximately 0.4 percentage points。

With these technologies combined, the Emgrand i-HEV Intelligent Hybrid achieved a fuel consumption of 2.22 liters per 100 kilometers in a highway fuel efficiency test around Hainan Island, surpassing the previous record of 2.52 liters set by the Toyota Prius in the United States, thereby earning a Guinness World Record.

The larger-sized Xingrui i-HEV Intelligent Hybrid recorded a real-world fuel consumption of 2.58 liters per 100 kilometers. According to data provided by Geely Auto, under WLTC standard conditions, the i-HEV models consume about 41% less fuel compared to vehicles of the same class powered by internal combustion engines, and approximately 10% less than Japanese hybrid benchmarks. In urban congested conditions, fuel savings can reach up to 65%, which is 15% lower than Japanese hybrids.

Electric drive takes the lead, delivering pure electric driving experience 80% of the time

Unlike the traditional hybrid model that prioritizes the engine with electric support through power splitting,The i-HEV Intelligent Hybrid adopts a P1+P3 motor architecture, with the drive motor having a maximum power output of 230 kW.Geely Auto claims this figure is about 1.72 times that of similar motors used in Japanese hybrids. Greater motor power means that the electric drive becomes the dominant power source in more driving scenarios.

In terms of specific performance parameters, the 0-30 km/h acceleration time is 1.84 seconds, which is 18% faster than Japanese hybrids; the power response time is 10 milliseconds; it can operate in pure electric mode at speeds up to 66 km/h, improving the upper speed limit for pure electric driving by approximately 20% compared to traditional hybrids.According to Geely Auto, under WLTC conditions, the vehicle operates predominantly on electric drive over 80% of the time, while the engine's operating duration is reduced by more than 27% compared to traditional hybrids.

In terms of NVH control, through intelligent prediction of optimal engine stop positions, the electric drive can instantly pull the engine to its ideal ignition speed, reducing startup vibrations by 32.7%. Additionally, Geely’s self-developed EOC active engine order noise control technology can generate counteracting sound waves via speakers based on engine RPM and in-car microphone signals, effectively reducing engine operational noise.The in-cabin noise level is reportedly only 1 decibel higher than that of pure electric models.

i-HEV Intelligent Hybrid Powertrain offers three dedicated hybrid engines: 1.5L, 1.5TD, and 2.0TD, paired with an 11-in-1 hybrid electric drive system, enabling various power combinations.The concept of 'one golden kilowatt-hour' refers to two high-rate battery solutions of 1.38 kWh and 1.83 kWh. The battery weighs just over 30 kilograms and delivers a discharge power of 110 kW and a 60C high-rate energy recovery capability.When parked, the vehicle can meet silent power usage needs, while in outdoor scenarios, it supports external power supply functionality.

Redundant Design and Extreme Validation

In terms of safety, the i-HEV Intelligent Hybrid Powertrain adopts patented redundant power safety technology, fully decoupling the three power sources: the engine, P1 motor, and P3 motor.This means that if any component fails, the other two can still operate independently, avoiding the loss of driving capability due to a single-point failure. This design addresses the industry pain point where traditional hybrid vehicles become immobilized when a power source malfunctions.

Battery safety is designed according to Geely's 'Shield Battery Safety Standard'.The cell capacity is 5.2Ah and uses a flat plate liquid cooling solution, with a heat exchange efficiency more than three times higher than air-cooled batteries.The protection level reaches IP68 (the highest dustproof and waterproof grade), and it has passed the new national standard test under 'Safety Requirements for Traction Batteries Used in Electric Vehicles' (GB38031-2025). The IP68 rating indicates dustproof and waterproof capabilities 48 times higher than the national standard. In terms of control strategy, the battery always operates within the 30%-80% charge range, employing shallow charging and discharging to avoid risks of overcharging or deep discharging.

In terms of reliability verification, Geely Auto completed the 'Hybrid System Reliability Ironman Seven Endurance' test under the supervision of China Automotive Research. The test was conducted in the environmental wind tunnel laboratory at Geely's Global Full-Domain Safety Center, running continuously for five days, 24 hours a day, accumulating 120 hours and covering seven extreme environments including -40°C low temperature, 50-55°C high temperature with strong radiation (solar radiation >1000W/m²), altitude alternating between 4650 meters and 1200 meters, and humidity alternating between 40% and 80%.

Test scenarios were collected from globally representative regions such as the Norwegian fjords in Northern Europe, Siberian snowstorms, the Amazon rainforest, high-temperature exposure in California, and the Bolivian plateau.Geely stated that the cumulative bench endurance testing for the i-HEV Smart Engine Hybrid reached 15,000 hours, equivalent to approximately 4.8 million kilometers of vehicle travel, and the testing standard exceeds global Japanese hybrid standards by more than 20%.

In addition,Through the self-learning capability of large AI models, the engine can adaptively adjust to different anti-knock properties of fuels worldwide, modify ignition timing to match local fuel quality, ensuring safe and efficient operation in any region across the globe.

The Geely i-HEV Smart Engine Hybrid is not just a minor tweak to existing hybrid technologies but represents a comprehensive innovation spanning foundational logic to user experience. With energy efficiency, performance, intelligence, safety, and reliability all reaching their peak, the Geely i-HEV Smart Engine Hybrid may have already ushered in a new era for hybrid technology.

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