Jia Haonan Posted from Copilot Temple
Intelligent Car Reference | AI4Auto WeChat Public Account
Great Wall Motors fired back at Huawei Yu Chengdong’s standing on extended range technology, but it turns out that was just a warm-up.
Wei brand, under Great Wall Motor, has just released its latest hybrid vehicle, the DHT-PHEV Latte, which is the real declaration of war.
Priced at 229,000-263,000 yuan, it’s not too expensive, but it claims to be the “world’s best hybrid car.”
The product comes with two punches, from intelligence to power form, calling out star players in the industry.
Great Wall Motors clearly won’t let go of extended range technology and will fight to the end:
Why spend the price of an iPhone 13 on a refurbished iPhone 6?
Fancy marketing with outdated architecture can only be used with compromise.
In terms of intelligence, Great Wall believes it has already caught up with new forces and even surpassed them:
Intelligence is not just for tech-savvy people; even their intelligence is not superior.
If you don’t have advanced intelligent driving, you don’t deserve the word “intelligent.”
At 230,000 RMB for the starting price of the car, the tone is high, but does it have any substance?
What is the DHT-PHEV Latte?
The DHT-PHEV Latte is the same size, appearance, and interior as the gasoline version of the Latte, measuring 4668/1890/1730 in length, width, and height, with a wheelbase of 2745mm.
It’s positioned as a compact SUV.
There was already an oil-hybrid version of the Latte DHT on the market that didn’t require plugging in, but this Latte DHT-PHEV is a pluggable hybrid version that, in addition to low fuel consumption and relatively high pure electric range, has the major advantage that it can have a green license plate in most parts of the country.
The car is officially positioned as “intelligent,” “zero anxiety,” “safe,” and “home use.”
The highlight of Great Wall’s technological prowess is the full-stack self-developed intelligence and second-gear DHT hybrid technology.
How advanced is the intelligence of the DHT-PHEV Latte?
Great Wall says, “If you don’t have advanced intelligent driving capabilities, you don’t deserve the word ‘intelligent.'”
Where is the high-end intelligence of the DHT-PHEV Latte reflected?
On the hardware side, the car is equipped with 25 external sensors for intelligent driving, including 5 millimeter-wave radars, 8 cameras, and 12 millimeter-wave radars.
This set of autonomous driving solutions is not unfamiliar and comes from Haomo Zhixing, an autonomous driving subsidiary under the Great Wall. We have introduced it many times before.
The official “advanced” function is actually HPilot2.0, which has been installed in models such as Tank 500, Tank 300 City Edition, Haval Monsters, Mocha, Machi, etc.
In daily commuting and long-distance travel scenarios, the system can provide five functions: intelligent cruise, autonomous lane change, intelligent turning, intelligent evasion, and automatic emergency braking.
In addition, HPilot 2.0 has more than 30 L2 level assisted driving functions, which can assist drivers in completing frequent driving operations automatically, making driving easier and safer.
Specifically, after turning on the HPilot 2.0 assisted driving system, Tank 500 can complete adaptive cruise control on the highway and achieve automatic control of the vehicle’s speed and distance from the front vehicle.
Under the condition of clear high-speed lane markings and the vehicle driving in the middle of the lane, this intelligent assisted driving system can achieve automatic lane change in high-speed scenarios. By turning on the turn signal lever, the vehicle can complete the lane change action when the safety is confirmed.
In addition, HPilot 2.0 also integrates the driving and parking intelligent scene solutions and adds intelligent parking function.
The Naliang DHT-PHEV already has high-speed navigation assisted driving and autonomous parking capabilities.
Only from the perspective of functions, at this point in time, Naliang DHT-PHEV is indeed leading among new forces and traditional car companies.
From the perspective of the industry’s common standards, the goal that all competitors are racing to achieve in intelligent driving this year is the integration of the “highway, city, and parking” three domains.
Great Wall will first introduce this intelligent driving capability in the flagship model Mocha, equipped with HPilot 3.0 with lidar.
Currently, the actual road test mileage for this system has reached 12 million kilometers.
Based on these facts, Great Wall believes that there is no difference between itself and so-called new forces in terms of intelligent technology level, and it is even rapidly catching up.In terms of smart cockpit, the main interactive screen of the Latte DHT-PHEV is 14.3 inches, equipped with the current mainstream Qualcomm 8155 chip, which can realize four-screen linkage in the car.
Most functions in the car can be controlled by voice, supported by Microsoft technology, allowing users to continuously give commands for 20 seconds without interruption after being awakened. In addition, it also supports the customization of the voice assistant’s tone.
The Best Hybrid in the World?
Previously, Yu Chengdong set up a stand when Huawei’s own question M5 was launched, which angered Wei Lai CEO Li Ruifeng to counterattack six times.
This also turned the usual debate among technical geeks about range-extending and hybrid technology into a topic of general interest.
Specifically, Great Wall’s hybrid technology DHT stands for Dedicated Hybrid Transmission, a hybrid transmission exclusively for hybrid power.
In terms of structure, the DHT adopts a dual-motor (P1, 3) hybrid topology, two types of powertrain architectures, HEV/PHEV, under one system, which can realize various modes of operation such as EV driving, hybrid drive, and series drive.
There are three powertrain options, each with its own advantages to meet the diverse needs of customers.
DHT has 4 working modes:
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EV mode, suitable for starting and low-speed conditions, with the engine off and only the TM motor directly driving the wheels.
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Series mode is suitable for urban driving conditions, with the engine driving the GM to generate electricity and the TM motor directly driving the wheels, allowing the engine to run continuously in the optimum operating range.
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Parallel mode is suitable for high-speed driving conditions, with the engine driving primarily and the motor adjusting the engine’s working point and assisting in driving the wheels. Through the design of the two-gear structure, the engine can also work as much as possible in the high-efficiency range.
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Direct Drive mode, when the speed is above 80km/h, the engine directly drives the wheels.
Great Wall’s DHT and Honda’s i-MMD belong to the hybrid configuration, but the DHT’s engine drive has two gears, while Honda’s i-MMD’s engine drive has only one gear. This design is more advanced than Honda’s i-MMD transmission, and through gear selection, it can better play to the performance advantages of the engine.
Compared with the range-extending hybrid, which only has series – motor drive, the DHT is theoretically more efficient and consumes less energy.On the DHT-PHEV of the Latte vehicle, with DHT system support, the officially given energy consumption data is achieved under the condition of a 34kWh ternary lithium battery. Under pure electric driving, the vehicle has a range of 184km and can be fully charged to 80% in 30 minutes with 45kW fast charging. Great Wall Motors specifically emphasized that only such pure electric endurance can be called a truly hybrid vehicle, which has the ability to save travel costs for users. Regarding those so-called “hybrid” models with only tens of kilometers of pure electric endurance, they are aimed at taking advantage of policy loopholes and at most can only be considered as barely functional. The low fuel consumption is achieved by the two-wheel-drive version, while the four-wheel-drive version has better power performance, with a maximum power of 321kW, a maximum torque of 762N·m, and 0 to 100km/h acceleration in 5.2 seconds. The theoretical complexity of the system, research and development difficulty, energy consumption level, etc., no one can deny that Great Wall’s DHT hybrid is indeed more advanced than the range-extender system. This is also one of the reasons why Great Wall has repeatedly attacked the range-extender system.
Latte DHT-PHEV, Playing the Ideal Script
A family car for dads.
It’s not the wrong set, Great Wall does indeed, for the first time, explicitly aim to compete with Ideal Auto on the Latte DHT-PHEV.
On the configuration side, the Latte DHT-PHEV leaned heavily towards full-family travel and child care.
It provides a 3.5kw external discharge function, exactly the same as the new Ideal car L9, aimed at light outdoor camping scenarios.
By the way, the battery used by the Ideal L9 is exactly the same as the one on the Latte DHT-PHEV, both products of Great Wall’s subsidiary, Honeycomb Energy.
It’s very likely that Great Wall provided this external discharge technology.
In terms of interior layout, the first-row seats can be folded back, and the second-row seats can be fully flattened to form a flat space equivalent to a double bed size.
In addition, panoramic sunroof, electric sunshade, active noise reduction inside the car, N95 level car air filtration, etc., are all for comfort services.The Latte DHT-PHEV also expands its home ecosystem DOCK system, which is equipped with external devices such as a water cup and fragrance that can be controlled through the central control screen. When traveling as a family, the intelligent insulation cup can keep milk warm and boil tea.
The main feature that differentiates Latte DHT-PHEV from its competitors is the childcare function for dads.
Firstly, the car is equipped with a picture-in-picture system that allows you to view the backseat situation with just one touch.
In addition, an mm wave radar and a vital sign detection system are installed in the car, which, when combined with other sensors inside the car, can detect the temperature, behavior, breathing, and other conditions of rear-seat passengers in real-time.
The car’s system can also automatically recommend healthy and appropriate entertainment content based on the child user’s age and preferences.
The official website emphasizes its focus on family-oriented characteristics, which is safety.
In terms of body design, the Latte DHT-PHEV was designed in strict accordance with the most rigorous collision requirements of China Automotive Technology and Research Center, with high-strength steel accounting for 80% of the material, achieving G-level results in major tests:
As for the battery, it uses the Biguiyuan battery that was independently developed by Great Wall Motors, which we have previously discussed in detail.
In summary, the Biguiyuan battery is compatible with various chemical systems and is mainly guaranteed to be safe through structure design and active temperature control and pressure relief measures. The official pledge is “truly never catching fire or exploding.”
The official emphasis on safety also extends to the interior materials used in the cabin, and Great Wall Motors specifically shared its material procurement and processing procedures.
All organic materials in the interior, including enamel, plastic, leather, etc., are not immediately installed in the car upon entering the factory. Instead, they are exposed to sun or baked at high temperatures, and other measures are taken to release harmful volatile substances as much as possible, according to their material characteristics.
The final result is that the organic volatile substances in the Latte DHT-PHEV are reduced by 70% compared to before treatment.
Finally, the Latte DHT-PHEV has been specially optimized for electromagnetic radiation for pregnant women and children. In China Automotive Technology and Research Center’s mother and baby health cabin certification, it achieved a score that was one times higher than the full score standard, reducing it by 21 times compared to international standards.
These are all the key points to pay attention to in this “world’s best hybrid car.”
Finally, let’s talk about Wei brand and Great Wall Motors behind it.
At the Latte DHT-PHEV launch event, the head of the Wei brand once again clarified the brand’s positioning:>Bring down the joint venture from the pedestal and break the blockade. Bring luxury cars to more ordinary people.
This is in line with Wei Jianjun, the chairman of Great Wall Motors, who spoke of “overtaking for the country” a year ago.
Since its inception, Wei brand has shouldered the responsibility of attacking the high-end market for Great Wall Motors.
However, it has been disappointing in sales, while Geely’s Lynk & Co. has developed its own style and route. Now Wei brand has returned to the starting point of exploring brand positioning.
During the era of VV5 and VV7, Wei brand suffered from poor sales, which could be attributed to immature technology of the three core parts of the gasoline engine.
However, in the era of hybrid and electric vehicles, Wei brand’s products have fallen into the “critically acclaimed but unpopular” cycle.
The Latte DHT-PHEV highlights its identity as a car for dads. In fact, this is a strategy to break the deadlock after the failure of models such as Mocha and Macchiato.
This may explain why the head of Wei brand is so angry when facing extended-range models: outdated technology leads to soaring sales.
What is the problem with Wei brand? Does the new Latte DHT-PHEV make you want spend money on it?
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This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.