Automotive conglomerate GAC Group was the lone representative of the Chinese auto industry at the Detroit Auto Show this year, showing two near-production,alternative powertrain Trumpchi-branded vehicles, as well as a new concept car.
The concept in question – the E-jet Concept – was the star of the GAC
stand. The exterior design was not far off what we'd expect from more
established automakers at a big show, with a generally pleasing shape
and some cool detailing on the grille and rear valence. The E-jet is set
up as a Voltesque
range-extended hybrid, with a 1.0-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine
acting as a generator for an electric drive motor. The motor output is
listed as 127 horsepower (95 kW) and 168 pound-feet of torque, though
the total system output is unknown. In any event, the car isn't
particularly quick – the only acceleration specification listed is a
0-50 kilometers per hour (0-31 miles per hour) time of around 4.5
seconds, with a top speed of just under 99 mph.
There was a sedan on stage called simply Trumpchi 4WD Hybrid, which is
reportedly ready to go on sale in China in the next few months. GAC has
produced 200 units of the Hybrid for testing and demonstration purposes
so far. The Trumpchi sedan will be the first all-wheel-drive "full
hybrid" for sale in China, and makes use of an electric motor in
conjunction with its 1.8-liter, 142-hp engine. True to its name, the
sedan also offers real-time all-wheel drive.
The final vehicle shown, was the Trumpchi GS5 BEV, which we take to mean
"Battery Electric Vehicle," a fully electric, small crossover. A
non-electric version of the GS5 SUV is already for sale in China, and we
were told the EV would be available before too long.
While the GAC presentation was largely to-the-point and uneventful
relative to other Chinese automaker pressers that we've attended, we did
find the specification sheets for the two production cars to be replete
with good/bad mistranslations. Lost in transmission were the meanings
behind options like "Lamp of Sleeve," "Grainy Gearshift Levers" and the
handy "Portable Ashtray." Though it was the utterly cryptic "Tweeter
& Sackbut" feature that we'll be puzzling over the longest.
Introduction of Compact NEV E-JET
Compact NEV E-JET，powerful, efficient and green，is a Range-Extended
electric car with fashionable and modern appearance, designed by GAC
Engineering based on its independently developed brand-new compact
passenger vehicle platform. Equipped with a 95 kW (peak) permanent
magnet motor and a 13kwh lithium-ion battery pack, E-JET can achieve a
top speed of 160kph, an acceleration from 0 to 50kph within 4.5 seconds,
and a gradeability higher than 32%. With its excellent energy
management strategy and lightweight technology, E-JET can have a pure
electric drive range of more than 100km. E-JET uses a 1.0L gasoline
engine and a 30 kW PM generator as the range-extender to charge the
battery when the battery SOC is low, which extends the total drive range
to more than 600km with a fuel consumption of less than 2L/100km (NEDC
cycle).
In pure electric drive mode, E-JET has demonstrated the advantage of
zero tailpipe emission, low noise and low energy cost. In
range-extending mode, comparing to battery-only EVs, there will be no
more "range anxiety" thanks to the on-board range-extender, and as well,
the vehicle cost is dramatically reduced. As a whole, E-JET works much
better than conventional vehicles both in fuel economy and emission.
4x4 HYBRID Version of TRUMPCHI Sedan
4x4 HYBRID Version of TRUMPCHI Sedan is the first mass-produced full
hybrid vehicle with all-wheel-drive feature in China, independently
developed by GAC Engineering based on its mid-high class vehicle
platform. It differs from the conventional Trumpchi sedan, mainly by
adding an ISG (Integrated Starter/Generator) between the engine and the
transmission at the front axle, a ERAD (Electrical Rear Axle Drive) PM
motor onto the rear axle and an advanced lithium ion battery pack
mounted back to the back seat. With this configuration, it has all the
functions a full hybrid supposed to have: electric drive, engine
automatic stop/start, regeneration brake/cruise, engine assist, etc.
Further, the 4x4 hybrid has additionally a unique function of gear shift
power assist, namely, during the gear shift the ERAD motor can provide
power assist from the rear axle when the clutch is opened at the front,
achieving a seamless gear shift of the RMT (Robotized Mechanical
Transmission) without any torque interruption. In addition, this hybrid
can automatically switch between 2WD and 4WD drive mode, depending on
the real driving situation. Comparing to conventional Trumpchi, the 4x4
hybrid version has demonstrated excellent fuel economy (30% fuel
saving), acceleration (2 seconds less from 0 to 100kph), drivability and
ride comfort.
BEV Version of Trumpchi GS5 SUV
BEV Version of Trumpchi GS5 SUV, a prototype pure Electric Vehicle
with exhilarating performance and charging convenience, is developed
independently by GAC Engineering with support of AC Propulsion Inc.
based on GAC's Trumpchi GS5 SUV. It is powered by a super efficient
induction motor controlled with a highly integrated Power Electronics
Unit. The high speed motor provides instantaneously available 225 Nm of
torque and up to 150 kW (200 hp) of power, enabling a 0 to 100kph
acceleration within 8.5 seconds. The Power Electronics Unit integrates
the motor drive electronics and onboard charger to minimize system cost.
The 18 kW high power charger allows a recharge time as fast as 2 hours
and features bi-directional power capability, thus Vehicle-to-Grid
(V2G), Vehicle-to-House and Vehicle-to-Vehicle power flow are all
possible. The 35 kWh Li-Ion battery pack is mounted low for excellent
vehicle stability and is controlled by a dedicated battery management
system. The highly efficient drive train and excellent energy management
system enable the vehicle to achieve a drive range of 100 miles at 60
mph.
News Source: GAC Group
