Roewe D7 PHEV’s driving range exceeds 1,372 miles

Chinese automakers have stepped up their game in plug-in hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles, promising impressive numbers for their combined product ranges. Roewe, owned by SAIC Motor, went one step further and set a Guinness World Record for the farthest distance a plug-in hybrid vehicle can travel without refueling or charging – a staggering 2,208 kilometers (1,372 miles).

var adpushup = window.adpushup = window.adpushup || {que:()}; adpushup.que.push(function() { if (adpushup.config.platform !== “DESKTOP”){ adpushup.triggerAd(“4d84e4c9 -9937-4f84-82c0-c94544ee6f2a”); } else{ adpushup.triggerAd(” 6a782b01-facb-45f3-a88f-ddf1b1f97657″); } });

The record-breaking model is the Roewe D7 DMH, a plug-in hybrid version of the mid-size sedan that will be launched in China in 2023. A production vehicle started from Lanzhou and traveled 2,208 kilometers (1,372 miles) to Zhangye, Jiuquan, Turpan, and Urumqi in four days.

More: China’s Roewe D7 available in electric and plug-in hybrid versions, with Mercedes-style looks

Interestingly, the route was neither smooth nor limited to flat asphalt in ideal temperature conditions, as you would typically expect from an efficiency-focused record run. In contrast, the Roewe D7 DMH drove on gravel, mud, snow, ice and wet asphalt, with an altitude difference of 1,600 m (5,249 ft) and temperatures as low as -8°C (17.6°F).

var adpushup = window.adpushup = window.adpushup || {que:()}; adpushup.que.push(function() { if (adpushup.config.platform !== “DESKTOP”){ adpushup.triggerAd(“5646c171 -cb6e-4e2c-8440-49013ca72758″); } else{ adpushup.triggerAd(” e7c4c913-3924-4b2d-9279-6c00984dd130″); } });

Video uploaded on Weibo showed the electric sedan traveling through parts of the Gobi Desert and over mountains before reaching its destination. The entire fuel tank cap and charging port are covered by stickers. Additionally, officials checked the vehicle identification number to ensure the same vehicle started and completed the test.

The Roewe D7 DMH’s plug-in hybrid system consists of a naturally aspirated 1.5-liter gasoline engine producing 110 hp (82 kW / 112 hp) and an electric motor producing 201 hp (150 kW / 204 hp) . ICE claims a thermal efficiency of over 43% and is connected to a coaxial P1 driver unit.

Official data shows that plug-in hybrid vehicles have a combined range of 1,400 kilometers (870 miles), of which pure electric vehicles have a range of 125 kilometers (78 miles). This means the recorded mileage is 808 kilometers (547 miles) higher than the claimed figure, proving that experienced drivers can make a huge difference in how far they can travel on a tank of petrol. Overall, the average fuel consumption tested was 2.49 l/100 km (94.5 mpg).

It remains to be seen whether rival automakers will challenge Roewe’s record. Judging from the specifications of existing mass-produced models, the next record-breaking PHEV is likely to come from China.

var adpushup = window.adpushup = window.adpushup || {que:()}; adpushup.que.push(function() { if (adpushup.config.platform !== “DESKTOP”){ adpushup.triggerAd(“e96f0476 -8b1d-4bb8-b64c-33f9656987b2″); } else{ adpushup.triggerAd(” 0f9edca9-aa84-4c07-8987-4cad23928c2d”); } });