Efficient Drivetrains Has Created New Plug-In Hybrid SUV Specifically For Chinese Market
The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) manufacturer Efficient Drivetrains recently unveiled a new plug-in hybrid electric SUV that the company developed specifically for the Asian marketplace — one that offers the “best performance for a PHEV in its class,” according to the company
The new SUV is a full-size Chinese SUV equipped with a 2.4-liter engine that has been modified and outfitted with the equipment necessary to turn it into a PHEV with an all-electric range of over 50 km (31 miles) and an affordable price tag. Additionally, importantly, there’s a single-tank driving range of over 800 km (497 miles). Pretty impressive, huh? 500 miles on a single tank of gas — something that means lowered emissions as well as lowered operating costs, it should be noted.
It should probably be added here that the specs of the new PHEV SUV make it eligible for government incentives in China. Efficient Drivetrains’ new offering will reportedly be chargeable with either a level 1 or a level 2 standard electric outlet.
Efficient Drivetrains is currently gearing up for the vehicle certification + durability testing part of the certification process — with the aim being to get government certifications in most/all key geographies in the region.
The current CEO of Efficient Drivetrains, Joerg Ferchau, rightly noted that the SUV market in China is booming — which means that, considering the air pollution issues in the region (and government desire), there’s likely a lot of potential demand in the electric SUV segment.
“The SUV market continues to demonstrate explosive growth in Asia and the Pacific Rim, and we consider it a prime, high-volume opportunity for EDI. We set out to develop a vehicle that goes well beyond consumer expectations, delivering an affordable PHEV SUV platform, with full-performance features. This is the first of its kind in this vehicle class.”
It would be nice if people were willing to use less extravagant, fuel-guzzling vehicles than giant trucks with empty trailer beds and SUVs — maybe some of those mini EVs that you see around the place occasionally. But people love their SUVs and trucks, don’t they? Might as well be electrics of plug-in electrics then.
Image Credit: Efficient Drivetrains
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