Author | Nie Yiyao
“This car’s throttle response is really impressive!”
At the moment the wheels started rolling, the driving instructor in the driver’s seat exclaimed, “The car just took off as soon as I pressed the accelerator, with zero delay in throttle response. The hybrid system is so much better than traditional fuel-powered cars!”
“Let’s test the acceleration next and see how it performs in terms of fuel efficiency and range,” the rest of us chimed in, each with our own points of interest.
The car we were referring to is the third-generation Haval H6 DHT-PHEV, which we were test driving.
On September 28th, 2022, the Haval H6 DHT-PHEV officially launched, ushering in a new era of Haval’s transition towards new energy vehicles. We had our test drive experience on October 21st, almost a month after the launch, but just in time for Beijing’s beautiful autumn weather.
Starting from Beijing city and driving through various road conditions such as highways and mountain roads, we drove 200 kilometers round trip to Pinggu, a suburb of Beijing, enjoying the warm and sunny autumn weather along the way. As members of the media with our discerning eyes, we were trying to find any shortcomings in the third-generation Haval H6 DHT-PHEV.
We then candidly discussed with the product manager about areas that could be improved upon, as well as those areas where the car model equals or even surpasses its fuel-powered counterpart, and where it outperforms its competitors. After all, this car model not only embodies the mission of transforming Haval from a “national SUV” brand to a “new energy national SUV” brand, it also faces fierce competition in the marketplace. With such high stakes, every detail must be taken seriously to ensure success.
The Haval H6 has been one of the most popular SUV models in China since its launch in 2011, making it a “divinely blessed” car in the Chinese automobile industry.
As Chinese consumers had been fervently pursuing SUVs for years before the H6’s release, it was able to meet their demands head-on, and has continued to do so for over ten years.At this point, one part of the market is dominated by joint venture brands such as Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Volkswagen Tiguan, etc. On the other hand, these joint venture brands reject many ordinary consumers with a high average price of 200,000 yuan.
At this time, domestic brands were also gearing up for the SUV market, seeking to establish a foothold in the price range below 150,000 yuan where joint venture brands were weak. However, there was no product that could really compete until the Haval H6 emerged.
The Haval H6 was an instant hit when it was released on August 15th that year, with sales approaching 30,000 units by the end of the year. This is closely related to its eye-catching appearance, power configuration, interior design that can rival joint venture brands, and highly competitive price. In short, the Haval H6 became the key to opening up the compact SUV market.
In the second year, sales of the Haval H6 approached 140,000 units and ranked second in the annual SUV sales rankings. The champion Honda CR-V sold 160,000 units. The Haval H6 outperformed several domestic brands like Chery Tiggo, BYD S6, GAC Trumpchi GS5, and also surpassed joint venture brands Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage, Nissan Qashqai, Hyundai ix35 and others.
In 2013, seeing that the time was right, Great Wall Motors spun off the Haval brand, used a new Haval logo, and put the Haval H6, which had ignited the compact SUV market, in the most important position. At this time, Wei Jianjun demonstrated the vision and shrewdness of a seasoned operator, focusing resolutely on the SUV strategy.
# From Here, Haval H6 Sets Out to Be the “National New Energy SUV”
For nearly 10 years, Haval H6 has been the sales champion among SUVs, with a monthly sales record of 100 times, totaling nearly 4 million units. Despite being challenged by rivals such as Changan CS75 PLUS and BYD Song, the powerful dominance of H6 on the market leaves them far behind.
Consumers and media have given it the nickname “National SUV,” making Haval H6 a truly remarkable “legend” in the industry.
However, history always has turning points, and things are ever-changing.
Set Out to Transform and Become the “National New Energy SUV”
The turning point for Haval H6 came in September 2021 when Tesla’s Model Y surpassed H6 to become the best-selling SUV of the month, pushing H6 to second place. A fuel SUV priced between 100,000 to 150,000 RMB is surpassed by an electric SUV priced between 300,000 to 350,000 RMB, both indicate that the new energy trend is indeed unstoppable.
As the saying goes, “opportunity knocks but once”. By February 2022, Haval H6 had lost its crown as the best-selling SUV, falling behind new energy SUVs such as Tesla Model Y and BYD Song. As fuel cars retreat step by step, new energy has fully swept in.
To change or not to change? Change is a must. However, for a traditional fuel car brand like Haval to transition to new energy, it is undoubtedly a challenging and difficult task. Therefore, how to transform, what to become, the strategy, technology, goals, all need to be carefully considered and gradually implemented.
However, Great Wall Motors (GWM) possesses some outstanding qualities that are superior to those of other traditional automakers, such as agile and accurate trend tracking, flexible and fast responsiveness, and a forward-looking strategic layout. These advantages provide a high-quality environment for the transformation of Haval’s new energy vehicles, enabling them to quickly and accurately enter the new energy track.
For instance, the most fundamental aspect of transformation is to determine the technological route, whether it is pure electric, hybrid, or a combination of both, and which type of hybrid, including oil-electric hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or extended-range hybrid, to choose?
Haval approaches this issue rationally and objectively. GWM already has a ready-made DHT hybrid system called “Lemon” that offers both HEV and PHEV solutions, with three powertrain combinations: 1.5L+DHT100, 1.5T+DHT130, and 1.5T+DHT130+P4.
Moreover, this system was released in December 2020, and it was announced that it would be used in all GWM models in the future. In March 2021, the Lemon DHT hybrid system was first applied to GWM’s high-end brand WEY’s VV6 model and was subsequently used in more models.
If we go further back, GWM actually started the development of this new hybrid platform in 2018. Moreover, GWM’s subsidiary, the Honeycomb Power, was also vigorously researching and developing hybrid-dedicated engines with higher thermal efficiency during the same period. In June 2021, Honeycomb Power released various hybrid-dedicated engines that are designed for GWM’s Lemon DHT hybrid system on the occasion of “the production of the 10 millionth engine.”
With these observations, it can be concluded that GWM has already had a grasp of hybrid technology for a long time. Haval is now embracing new energy transformation with the rising trend of the hybrid market as an opportunity.
According to data from the China Passenger Car Association, from January to September 2022, the sales growth rates of pure electric and hybrid models were 98.2% and 182.2%, respectively, compared with the same period last year. Hybrid models, represented by BYD’s DM-i series, are selling like hotcakes. The BYD Song DM-i, which challenged the Haval H6, has already taken the top spot in SUV monthly sales. The golden age of hybrids has arrived.
There is ready-made hybrid technology, and the technical strength is not inferior. Li Ruifeng once criticized Yu Chengdong’s bragging about range extension on the internet. Being able to stand up against him like that, their own core strengths must be quite extraordinary. Now there is a great opportunity for hybrids, especially plug-in hybrids. Haval’s transformation is really well-timed.
Who should Haval transform first? There’s no need to hesitate, it’s H6. Byd’s old rival, when it was still a gasoline-powered car, it kept a low profile, and now it has become the top-selling SUV after transforming into the Byd Song DM-i. Haval H6 is going to transform into H6 DHT-PHEV, and recapture the lost market share.
On August 22nd of this year, Haval released a new energy strategy, taking the lead to bring the H6 hybrid DHT twin stars to the forefront. And set a target: by 2025, Haval brand new energy vehicle sales accounted for 80%; by 2030, Haval brand officially stopped selling gasoline-powered vehicles.
The role Haval H6 plays in Haval brand’s new energy transformation is very important. Although Great Wall Motors does not rely solely on the Haval H6, it is also good at producing hot-selling cars, but the H6 is already a symbol for Haval and Great Wall Motors.
The title of “National SUV” is due to the huge user base of the H6, which is a valuable user resource for Haval. Resources can be transformed, and if transformed well, the third-generation H6 DHT-PHEV can take advantage of the market, transforming from “National SUV” into “National New Energy SUV”. Then ride the waves and drive Haval brand’s new energy transformation.
Therefore, Li Ruifeng said, “We want to use the world’s best new energy technology to benefit Chinese consumers and create a national new energy SUV brand.”Can Haval H6’s new energy transformation once again achieve dominance? It’s still unknown. However, the pattern of history shows that all things must constantly depart from the old and start anew to achieve a rebirth.
How strong is Haval’s third-generation H6 DHT-PHEV product?
When it comes to product strength, it must be tried and compared before experiencing it. The recently launched Haval third-generation H6 DHT-PHEV is competing head-to-head with the BYD Song DM-i. Therefore, it is recommended that consumers personally test drive and compare before making a choice.
The Haval brand currently has over 1000 4S stores and 1500 sinking channels. It is now accelerating the construction of Haval new energy store-in-store, and launching a comprehensive renewal of the store’s brand image. The store has exclusive image, exclusive exhibition area, and exclusive personnel reception, making it very convenient for consumers to test drive the H6 DHT-PHEV.
Haval H6 DHT-PHEV and BYD Song DM-i are neck and neck in terms of product strength, and prices are also similar. The biggest differences lie in the engine, transmission, battery, and driving assistance.
Compared to BYD Song DM-i’s 1.5L naturally aspirated engine, Haval H6 DHT-PHEV is equipped with a 1.5T four-cylinder turbocharged engine. Some car enthusiasts have expressed that after trying both cars, Haval H6 DHT-PHEV performs better in terms of power.
It’s worth mentioning that outstanding power performance is in Haval H6’s genes. When Honeycomb Power developed the hybrid-only engine for Great Wall Lemon Hybrid DHT system, they created unique Miller cycle technology and VGT turbocharger, which continued the power advantage of H6.The two cars also have different types of transmissions. The Haval H6 DHT-PHEV is equipped with a two-gear dual-motor DHT, while the BYD Song DM-i is equipped with an E-CVT continuously variable transmission. Overall, the Haval H6 DHT-PHEV has excellent acceleration performance, with zero delay in throttle response as described by our instructor during the first test drive.
In terms of batteries, the Haval H6 DHT-PHEV is equipped with a ternary lithium battery, while the BYD Song DM-i uses a lithium iron phosphate battery. The former has an energy capacity of 19.94 kWh, slightly higher than the latter’s 18.3 kWh. As is known to all, ternary lithium batteries have a higher energy density than lithium iron phosphate batteries, and the lithium ions inside them are more active. This raises concerns about battery safety. However, all car manufacturers have adopted the highest level of battery safety measures to address this issue.
The battery used in the Haval H6 DHT-PHEV is called the “Hu Xin Jia” safety battery. The battery pack is equipped with a high-strength steel box and an integral high-strength safety frame. The battery core is located at the center, and the melting point of the steel shell is 1500℃. The insulation gap reaches 30mm, and a large amount of insulation material is filled inside. This battery has passed the fire, immersion, and compression tests conducted by China Automotive Technology and Research Center before use. The manufacturer claims that the safety performance of this battery pack is higher than that of other battery packs on the market.
The Hafer H6 DHT-PHEV has a competitive advantage over the BYD Song DM-i as it is equipped with an L2 driving assistance system that uses Mobileye EyeQ4 chip, providing driving assistance features such as “lane changing assistance, lane departure warning, lane centering assistance, road sign recognition, MEB low-speed emergency braking, fatigue driving reminder, DOW door opening warning, and collision warning.”
Moving on to the differences between Hafer H6 DHT-PHEV and the fuel version of H6. Besides the aforementioned features, the most obvious difference is the color of car paint and logo, which have been changed to a new energy-colored Qingfeng Green (which actually looks blue). The car tail is labeled with “DHT” and “PHEV”.
A large number of piano panel decorations have been removed from the interior of the car. The current interior material no longer collects fingerprints and has an enhanced sense of luxury. The car machine is quite smooth, and after awakening with “Hello Hafer”, voice commands for controlling the air conditioning, windows, sunroof, etc. are promptly and accurately executed.
Anyway, this Hafer new energy work is launched by building on the essence of the fuel version of H6, competing with BYD Song DM-i, and carrying the mission and confidence of Hafer’s new energy transformation; and they have done it seriously.
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.