In the past few years, stepping on the outlet of new energy vehicles, pure electric vehicles have ushered in rapid development. The overall auto market is down, but it is the only segment that has grown. Although it is not perfect, it even makes users a little more anxious in the process of using the car.
Battery technology, fast charging technology has not yet broken through the bottleneck, for pure electric vehicle users, endurance and charging has become the biggest anxiety. The many inconveniences in the actual car process make plug-in hybrid the best choice for transitioning from internal combustion engines to pure electricity. According to the November sales data of the Association of Automobile Associations, the sales volume of plug-in hybrids increased by 187.2% year-on-year, far exceeding the 121.1% of pure electric vehicles.
Almost at the same time, independent brands have chosen to focus on the layout of plug-in hybrid routes, BYD DM-i, Great Wall DHT, Geely Thor and so on. Among them, BYD has used amazing sales to prove the huge development potential of plug-in hybrid models, and has become an inevitable competitor to those latecomers in the market.
Nowadays, the plug-in hybrid market has ushered in a blockbuster player, which is Changan's Blue Whale iDD hybrid technology. As the first model equipped with the Blue Whale iDD hybrid system, Changan UNI-K iDD recently opened a test drive experience activity in Zhuhai, let's take a look at its specific performance.
iDD hybrid, zero anxiety throughout
In the "Top 10 Livable Cities in China", the top of the list from 2014 to 2020 was almost always Zhuhai, except for 2015. Test-driving the UNI-K iDD in this slower-paced city has just the right amount of lighthearted pleasure. There is zero anxiety throughout the journey, and there are wonderful scenery and high-quality driving experience.
Since it is an iDD hybrid version of the model, the most fundamental and core is its hybrid system. The Blue Whale iDD hybrid system equipped with UNI-K iDD is a P2 architecture PHEV plug-in hybrid, which is composed of four parts: Blue Whale NE1.5T hybrid engine, Blue Whale triple-clutch electric drive transmission, large-capacity PHEV battery and iDD intelligent control system.
The reason why the P13 architecture like BYD DM-i is not adopted, according to Changan engineers, is mainly due to the difference in geography and use scenarios. After all, Chongqing is a mountain city, there are more uphill and downhill roads, the low torque requirements of the vehicle are higher, and the UNI-K iDD with P2 architecture can ensure an instantaneous power explosion whether it is in the state of low-speed starting, high-speed overtaking, etc.
Under this architecture, the UNI-K iDD does not have to be equipped with a high-power motor, and can burst out more torque under the support of the Blue Whale triple-clutch electric drive transmission. Its 1.5T engine has a maximum power of 125 kW and a maximum torque of 260 Nm. The maximum power of the electric motor is 85 kW, the maximum torque is 330 Nm, the acceleration of 100 km/h is only 8.1 s, and the extreme speed can reach 200 km/h.
Under the empowerment of the 30.74kWh large-capacity battery pack, NEDC has a pure electric battery life of 130km, which is at the leading level in the industry, and the EV mode can meet the needs of weekday urban commuting. At the same time, its entire system is equipped with AC/DC dual fast charging technology as standard, which can be charged to 30%-80% in 30min. Even in the state of power shortage, its fuel consumption is as low as 5L/100km (NEDC), and the comprehensive endurance of 1100km can completely solve the problem of endurance anxiety, making long-distance travel more simple, and truly achieving zero anxiety in the whole process of new energy vehicles.
3 driving modes
Changan UNI-K iDD provides EV, HEV and i-X driving modes, from the actual driving experience, the low torque performance of this power system is still more prominent.
The power output is very direct when driving pure electric, almost the same as pure electric vehicles, very quiet, very smooth. However, due to its low-power single-motor layout, the experience of rapid acceleration will not be as rapid as other high-power motor pure electric models. For this 2-ton medium-sized SUV, the overall orientation is still based on comfort.
In the HEV mode, pure electric driving will be preferred, more energy-saving, in order to achieve longer endurance performance, so it is more biased towards those who are Buddhist driving habits. However, when the throttle is pressed deeply, the engine can also respond quickly to provide a stronger power output, and the intervention action is almost imperceptible, comfortable and natural.
As for the i-X mode, it can be said that it is a major feature of Changan UNI-K iDD, which brings a variety of driving styles. Under the custom state, the power can be custom maintained, and the power style and glide ability recovery intensity can also be adjusted. At the same time, this mode also supports users to feedback driving needs and create driving styles with manufacturers through late OTAs.
Thanks to the battery pack further reducing the body center of gravity, the UNI-K iDD's chassis is very stable, the suspension support is strong enough, and it can also filter the bumps on the road surface more thoroughly. Coupled with precise steering and excellent NVH performance, the driving experience of UNI-K iDD during daily driving is quite advanced.
Beautiful and material, high quality enjoyment
After talking about the core hybrid system and driving experience, let's talk about the practicality and quality of UNI-K iDD.
Although its exterior styling is almost identical to the fuel version, more novelty has been added to the details. For example, details such as orange painted calipers, rectangular exhaust decorations and tail markers have been added to distinguish each other, highlighting the trend elements while maintaining a unique personality, and visually have a strong impact.
In terms of interior, it is also highly consistent with the fuel version, but the double contrast design of Sen Hai Blue and Gray gives a very fresh feeling, and the visual enjoyment is quite advanced. The IMS intelligent cockpit interaction system provides more intelligent and more humanized functions such as smoking detection automatic air change, fatigue driving reminder, AR real-life navigation and gesture recognition, making the car experience more advanced.
As for space, the 2890mm extra-long wheelbase brings luxury two rows of legroom, which can meet your many different sitting positions, just like the big sofa at home, free and comfortable, and the flat floor design is more effective in alleviating the fatigue of long-distance travel. Unfortunately, UNI-K does not yet have a 7-seat model layout, and it may lose some hard demand users when facing Tang DM-i.
Finally, under the "Camp Mode" option, the UNI-K iDD can discharge high power to various appliances at high power when the battery is sufficiently high. This is a little more fun than fuel vehicles outdoors, and can be connected to external light sources, televisions, electric ovens and induction cookers to meet your needs for various outdoor activities.
Bell description
Overall, in the automotive market where electrification is accelerating, the emergence of Changan UNI-K iDD further improves the family's plug-in hybrid product matrix. It not only solves the mileage and charging anxiety of pure electric vehicle users, but also improves the economy of fuel vehicles, and also provides a sense of premium and comfort to a greater extent, so that the user experience has a full-dimensional improvement, which can be said to be a more comprehensive player.
It is understood that UNI-K iDD will be listed as soon as the first quarter of next year, although the new car has not yet officially announced the price, but Uncle Zhong believes that Changan should give us a considerable surprise.