Chery has been working on hybrid powertrain solutions for nearly a decade and a half, namely since the limited-run 2008 A5 ISG Hybrid sedan. This week, the Chinese company launched the production of a new hybrid system.
Details are scarce at this time. The layout includes a front-mounted IC engine and two electric motors installed one per axle. An 11-speed, 9-mode DHT transmission combines the torque coming from the petrol engine and the front-mounted motor.
The Chery Tiggo 8 Plus PHEV (see video), which debuted at the Shanghai expo last month, will be the first to take advantage of the new power unit. Specifically, it will get a 1.5-liter turbo rated at 170 PS (167 hp / 125 kW) and 252 Nm (186 lb-ft) of torque. All electric motor specifications remain undisclosed, but we know that the cumulative torque will amount to 510 Nm (376 lb-ft). The car would be able to sprint 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in under five seconds and consume 1.3 liters of gas per 100 kilometers on average.
Sales will start in September. Other front- and all-wheel-drive DHT-based hybrids will join the lineup later, both in mild and plug-in hybrid specifications.
