What does the current situation of plug-in hybrid models look like? According to the “January 2024 National Passenger Car Market Analysis Report” released by the China Passenger Car Association, the production, retail sales, and wholesale sales of PHEV models in January have all increased significantly, with year-on-year increases of 146.4%, 147.2%, and 137.9% respectively. Due to the characteristics of being able to use both fuel and electricity, and being able to charge, they are deeply loved in many aspects such as range and performance. Compared to other power technologies, the technology of plug-in hybrid models has more core competitiveness, and it is also able to demonstrate the comprehensive strength of traditional car companies, as well as being an important technological “dividing line” with new energy brands. Taking the Roewe brand as an example, with 13 years of accumulation and precipitation of new energy technology, it has already accumulated a large number of plug-in hybrid technology capabilities, as well as a “base” of 250,000 plug-in hybrid users. In the face of the market competition for plug-in hybrids, the Roewe D series will not only fully enter the era of electric drive, but also the DMH plug-in hybrid model will be installed in more models.
SAIC Group’s new super hybrid system, the Roewe DMH technology, will achieve three major technological bases within the SAIC system, including the Nebula platform and the Magic Cube battery. This system is the driving force for SAIC’s comprehensive efforts and transformation in the pure electric and hybrid fields. Recently, Sina Auto test drove the second model of the Roewe D series, the D5X DMH, which is equipped with the super hybrid system.
The English meaning of the X in the Roewe D5 X DMH is Explorer.
The new car’s exterior dimensions are 4700/1890/1664 mm in length, width, and height, with a wheelbase of 2765 mm. The car is positioned as a compact SUV, with a design style reminiscent of pure electric vehicles. The front headlamps feature a continuous style, with the design inspired by the flying eaves and pillars of Chinese architecture. All the lamps are integrated into the two sides and do not simply adopt the “ubiquitous” split design style.
It is worth mentioning that the side marker lights under the front of the car are very innovative, adopting a longitudinal side light design. This not only enhances the overall three-dimensional visibility of the longitudinal light source but also reduces blind spots and provides a certain degree of recognition for the front of the car.
The Roewe D5 X DMH offers four main color options for its exterior, including pearl white, velvet silver, mysterious gray, and pearl black. It’s worth noting that all four options have a pearlescent finish, enhancing their durability and elegance.
The side of the car has a high waistline design, and the straight lines of the rear fenders have the effect of adding the finishing touch, giving the car body a profile with traditional Chinese aesthetic.
The door handle adopts the popular hidden design, which blends well with the overall style and has appropriate popping force.
Arriving at the rear of the car, the overall design exudes a sense of power, with its integrated taillight design boasting high recognition. The prism-style taillights on both sides create a visual extension with the two lines above and below.
The rear lower corners are equipped with rear fog lights, positioned to showcase the width of the vehicle and complement the tail light assembly, creating a layered effect to enhance driving safety.
From the rear 45 degrees, the cut lines of the tail end show an upward trend, coupled with the spoiler, making the rear styling very sharp. Compared to the front of the car, its lines are more rich, with a forward momentum from the shoulder to the roof, able to show a solid, atmospheric, and powerful visual experience.
In summary, the appearance of the Roewe D5 X DMH is simple and elegant, meeting the aesthetic standards of Chinese people. Compared to many new car brands, it is very distinctive. Unlike the similar designs of many other car companies, you can see the family design of Roewe on the D5 X DMH, and you can also see the attention to detail.
In terms of interior design, the Roewe D5 X DMH maintains the same elegance and simplicity as the exterior. The interior can be chosen in either beige or black, beige is indeed beautiful, but may require more careful maintenance than black.
The central control panel and “island” of the Roewe D5 X DMH adopt a relatively straight design style, which integrates well with the dual screens. The interior of the car uses a diverse range of materials, such as suede and leather, to enhance the texture in high-frequency touch areas. The island area and the co-pilot area of the central control panel are covered with very smooth panels to reflect a sense of technology.
The Roewe D5 X DMH also adopts the cloud-based cockpit, with perfect integration in quality, space, MVH, and car-machine interface.
The 24.6-inch dual screens are interactive and designed for outstanding entertainment and interaction, such as supporting touch operations.
The car system uses the new Zebra intelligent driving system, which seamlessly integrates with mobile phones. It is smooth in dynamic navigation, voice interaction, and entertainment. The voice can be completely ambiguous and can be executed while speaking. In terms of intelligent entertainment, video apps can play in the background without affecting driving safety. The smooth software operation is due to the installation of the MediaTek 2712 car-grade chip. This makes it easy to use the interactive status bar and card functions during the driving process, and the recognition of voice interaction is also very high. In addition, the large font and the design of the dynamic island are closer to the way mobile phones are used.
Although most of the car’s functions are controlled through the central control screen, Roewe thoughtfully designed physical buttons for the air conditioning, hazard lights, and front and rear defrosters, placed below the central control screen for easy operation.
Furthermore, the quick control area of the air conditioner can adjust seat heating, temperature, air volume, and air direction, displaying very direct and clear, very easy to use.
The Roewe D5 X DMH is also equipped with a 15w wireless charging pad, allowing for convenient phone charging during the driving process. Electronic devices can be charged without being limited by ports or charging cables.
In terms of assisted driving, the Roewe D5 X DMH first uses a combination of 540-degree panoramic imaging and transparent chassis consistent with hardcore off-road, which can real-time transmit road conditions and fully capture safety hazards.
The Roewe D5 X DMH is equipped with a level 2 advanced driving assistance system, with various active and passive safety functions such as AEB/FCW/IHC/LDW/LDP/IACC/ICA/SAS. In actual driving, the ADAS is set to be conservative, providing a good following experience on closed roads, but it will actively decelerate in curved roads to maintain a centered driving state. However, in some open and curved roads, this conservative setting sacrifices speed for safety, which is understandable.
The Roewe D5 X DMH is equipped with a cloud-based cabin, which excels in infotainment, functionality, NVH, space performance, and comfort.
In terms of NVH, the Roewe D5 X DMH has undergone comprehensive noise reduction treatment, such as acoustic insulation for 21 key areas including the front cabin acoustic package, underbody acoustic package, and body cavity. The front wall insulation pad adopts a “sandwich structure” design with multi-layer damping and sound insulation, effectively isolating engine noise. The vehicle uses large-area high-magnification sound-absorbing cotton and insulation pads in 42 areas. The vehicle is equipped with soundproof glass, providing electric car-level soundproofing effect.
The Roewe D5 X DMH has excellent passenger and storage space in the car. The second-row legroom is 976mm, headroom is 965mm, and knee room is 120mm.
The trunk space of the Roewe D5 X DMH is also excellent, with a maximum capacity of 1484L achieved by folding down the second-row seats in proportion.
The seating in the Yunsu cabin is worth mentioning. It is filled and supported with high-quality suede, providing a comfortable and soft feel. The seats also feature perforated leather design and 20mm zero-gravity foam layer in the front seats, as well as memory welcome function.
The texture of the rear seats is also excellent, but improving the thickness of the rear seat cushions or enhancing the support of the composite sponge would further enhance comfort.
In summary, the interior, features, and intelligence of the Roewe D5 X DMH have reached the quality and practicality of mainstream hot-selling models. It focuses on providing a higher level of interior experience without stacking hardware, making it the biggest feature of the Roewe D5 X DMH interior. Its human-centered approach is worthy of praise.
In terms of power, the Roewe D5 X DMH uses a dual-motor series-parallel drive, which combines a large generator with a large drive motor to achieve high-efficiency series and parallel drive, also the mainstream trend of hybrid power systems. The P1 motor has X-pin winding technology, with a high slot fill rate of 74%, short winding, and power and torque of 110kW/120Nm, with a maximum efficiency of 97%. The P3 motor is a Φ210 outer diameter motor, 4% smaller in volume than the DM-i; power and torque are 145kW/350Nm, with a maximum efficiency of 97.6%.
The 1.5T engine in the Roewe D5 X DMH produces 110KW of power and 235Nm of torque. It is equipped with electric control VGT variable cross-section turbo technology, achieving a wide range thermal efficiency of 42%. The flexible control of the bypass valve opening time, combined with the small inertia turbo, results in quick response and smooth power delivery, balancing low-speed torque and high-speed power. With this powertrain, the Roewe D5 X DMH can reach a top speed of 200km/h and accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds.
The Roewe D5 X DMH is equipped with a dedicated battery with an energy density of 110kw/kg and a 21.4 degree inclination for extended range. It can maintain a pure electric range of 135km in CLTC pure electric mode and a hybrid mode range of 1621km.
In terms of charging and discharging, the Roewe D5 X DMH comes standard with fast charging port/slow charging port. The slow charging power is 6.6kw, and the fast charging power reaches 28kw. It takes less than 30 minutes to charge from 30% to 80%. The new car also comes with external discharge function, with a maximum output power of 6kw, which can be very useful in camping.
The 1.5T DMH super hybrid system has two gears, making it easier to match the engine’s high-efficiency zone with the vehicle speed, balancing power and economy. The two gears also provide excellent speed control, ensuring a smooth driving experience. The new car has four driving modes, including pure electric, series drive, parallel drive, and energy recovery mode.
During the nearly 300-kilometer test drive, the P3 was able to use pure electric mode in city, highway, and low-speed driving. The pure electric range was sufficient, and the acceleration was more responsive. The electric driving experience was very noticeable. When the battery was fully charged, the P3’s electric motor efficiently transferred power to the wheels, resulting in quick acceleration and speed.
When the battery is low, the series drive mode can be activated. The engine drives the P1 motor to generate electricity, which is then output to the P3 motor to drive the wheels. In urban road conditions, this mode reduces engine intervention and provides a smoother driving experience.
When driving on closed high-speed sections or when acceleration is needed, P1 and P3 can output power simultaneously to directly drive the vehicle. In parallel direct drive mode, DMH is in full-wheel drive mode, balancing the strongest power, efficiency, and NVH. The switching between series and parallel modes is actually very smooth during actual driving, with great noise inside the car and no engine noise at all.
The Roewe D5 X DMH has three driving modes: Comfort, Standard, and Sport. In different driving modes, the damping of the suspension, the sensitivity of the throttle, and the feedback of the power are different. In Sport mode, the acceleration response is faster, and the pushback feeling under full throttle is consistent with some pure electric performance cars. In order to maintain the vehicle’s handling, the Roewe D5 X DMH has a lower center of gravity, a lower powertrain layout, and a lower chassis to achieve a lower overall center of gravity, reduce leaning, and bring better handling stability. It has stronger grip and handling, while also improving comfort.
The test drive in Lijiang and Dali revealed an amazing discovery: the turning radius of the Roewe D5 X DMH in these ancient towns is very small. The turning radius of a compact SUV can be as low as 5.7m, comparable to some small cars. In summary, the Roewe D5 X DMH has risen to the forefront of the compact SUV market through its comprehensive high endurance capabilities and meeting the demand for mainstream intelligent technology. With the technical endorsement of SAIC Group and Roewe’s long-term research and development capabilities for the three-electric system, the Roewe D5 X DMH model has competitive capabilities for selling plug-in hybrid models, systematization, and practicality. This car is expected to have good sales performance after its launch. Let’s wait and see.