GWM unveils new Hi4 E-Hybrid 4WD platform

THEY were first in Australia late last year with a ridgey-didge 4WD hybrid-powered model in the Tank 300, but now comes news from GWM that they’ve gone a step further developing a new, so-called Hi4 (Hybrid Intelligent 4WD) powertrain that it says substantially ratchets up the technology.

The system is essentially a 4WD PHEV with dual e-motors, one to each axle, hooked up to a high-tech’ ICE engine with a potential 100km range through an optimised lithium-ion battery.

China’s eighth-largest automaker launched its latest hybrid technology platform this week featuring an optimised EV-based powertrain technology designed to increase efficiency in all road conditions and driving scenarios.

GWM says the Hi4 platform features two different powertrains with a maximum system power of potentially 340kW that will be suitable for use in A- to C class vehicles (small to medium).

Vehicles fitted with the Hi4 system run front and rear electric traction motors creating a series-parallel 4WD hybrid architecture. Power is transmitted to the axles via a new dual electromechanical coupling system.

The system provides nine drive modes that are switchable between electric and hybrid power and between two- and four-wheel drive. Regenerative braking tops up the battery.

The company claims its e-hybrid powertrain achieves an industry-leading thermal efficiency of 41.5 per cent, which is made possible by what it calls an ‘advanced combustion system’ working in concert with high-pressure direct injection and low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation.

In layman’s terms that translates into an efficient turbocharged, direct injection petrol engine in this case with some form of advanced energy management and control strategies.

They are said to provide optimal operating efficiency and improve vehicle energy efficiency by about eight per cent compared to traditional energy management. So, a smart engine control unit (ECU).

The “over 100km on pure electric power” range comes courtesy of a high-capacity battery pack, which uses advanced lithium-ion technology to deliver ‘long-lasting’ power. 

Though specific battery specs were not forthcoming, the system boasts fast charging energy efficiency that reaches 97 per cent in total and can go from 30 per cent to 80 per cent charge, in ambient temperature, in less than 30 minutes thanks to high- voltage charging technology and a ‘smart’ charging management system.

GWM says the Hi4 platform features three ‘breakthroughs’ in hybrid technology including a e-hybrid architecture that expands the user's driving scenarios, new dynamic control tech relying on millisecond-grade high-precision sensing and a new performance-enhancing electromechanical coupling transmission system already mentioned.

The e-hybrid architecture uses three power sources and dual-axis distribution for its series-parallel 4WD electric hybrid system. This expands the user's driving scenarios, making it suitable for both city and off-road driving.

There’s more from GWM in the form of iTVC (intelligent Torque Vectoring Control) that taps the millisecond-grade high-precision sensing system.

It enables the iTVC to rapidly distribute and dynamically adjust torque between the front and rear axles in milliseconds, effectively preventing slipping on low-adhesion road surfaces and improving handling stability and driving safety during turns.

A powertrain technical officer at GWM said, “The Hi4 platform represents a major breakthrough in hybrid technology, providing an innovative combination of efficiency, safety, and value that has been previously considered impossible.”

"The Hi4 platform provides powerful performance and lower fuel consumption, and with its innovative dual-motor and dual-axis control functions, it also improves handling stability and driving safety during turns.”

GWM says its Hi4 platform is “set to revolutionise the hybrid SUV market by offering customers an unparalleled combination of performance, safety, and efficiency, making it the smart choice for drivers who demand the best”.