Super Hybrids arrive as an alternative to Toyota's dominance
The new Super Hybrid term, used by Chinese brands such as Geely, Chery and MG, attempts to rebrand plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) as a more powerful and capable cousin to regular hybrid vehicles offered by the likes of Toyota.
It's a great idea.
PHEVs have struggled to cut through the noise in Australia market, and may not have been helped by brands like Mitsubishi putting huge 'EV' badges on cars that also require petrol.
Recognising the runaway success of conventional hybrids such as Toyota's RAV4, Camry and Corolla, Chinese brands have ditched PHEV terminology in favour of 'Super Hybrid', reflecting the superior power, efficiency and range – as well as the higher price – of plug-in hybrid models.
Geely is about to launch its first Super Hybrid in Australia, giving the brand a petrol-electric alternative to the only other car in its showrooms, the battery-powered EX5.
Sold in China as the Starship 7, Geely's contender is known as the Starray EM-i.
That stands for E-Motive Intelligence, which makes it sound like this wagon is particularly sensitive to thoughts, feelings, and the emotional wake it leaves in the river of life.
You can see why marketing departments have banded together to make 'Super Hybrid' happen.
Geely says the Starray's 'Super Hybrid' technology combines a 1.5-litre, 73kW/125Nm petrol engine with a 160kW/262Nm electric motor to send a combined 193kW of power to the front wheels.
That last one is a big number.
The hybrid system is fuelled by a 50L petrol tank and an 18.4kWh battery that deliver almost 950km of driving range, and 2.4L/100km claimed efficiency.
Like all plug-in hybrids, that fuel figure is not an accurate reflection of what you will see in the real world. Official fuel economy figures come from a standardised test run in controlled conditions on the car equivalent of a treadmill for a short distance.
The Geely has up to 80 km of electric range with a fully charged battery, so if you drive for short trips, you might not use any petrol at all.
But longer trips – or journeys that start without a fully charged battery – will drain the fuel tank.
The Starray will be available with luxury touches including a panoramic sunroof, massive touchscreen, and seats that are both heated and cooled.
Geely hasn't announced prices for the machine, which should cost less than $50,000 when it arrives later this year.
The brand hopes Aussies will be more than familiar with 'Super Hybrids' by the time it arrives, thanks to rival companies that have already rebranded PHEV machines such as the
MG HS Super Hybrid.
The standard MG HS petrol model makes 125kW and 275Nm, the regular hybrid has 165kW and 340Nm of combined power, while the Super Hybrid offers 220kW and 350Nm.
On the fuel efficiency front, the petrol MG claims 6.9L/100km efficiency, the hybrid uses 5.2L/100km and the Super Hybrid claims a fanciful 0.7L/100km.
That's because the plug-in hybrid model has a 24.7kWh battery with 120km of electric range, so if you start each journey with a fully charged battery and a full tank of fuel, you won't use much petrol at all – but if you don't plug the car in, you can expect to use far more petrol than it's sticker suggests.
In MG's case, the standard HS starts from about $36,000 drive-away, while the conventional Hybrid+ model is $32,990 drive-away and the Super Hybrid is $50,990 drive-away.
Drivers who want a bigger car – for less money – can consider the seven-seat Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid.
The Chery combines a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine that makes 105kW/215Nm with an 18.4kWh battery and an electric motor that has 150kW/310Nm, claiming 1.3L/100km efficiency and 1200km of combined range.
It starts from $45,990 drive-away, which isn't a huge step up from a petrol Chery Tiggo 8 that costs $38,990 drive-away and uses 8.1L/100km to make 180kW and 375Nm.
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