Chery: They’re copying us

It’s no coincidence vehicles with ‘Super Hybrid’ powertrains seem to popping up from just about every Chinese car-maker of late: the BYD Shark 6 ute employs a DM-i ‘Super Hybrid’ system, while the MG HS Super Hybrid and the Geely Starray EM-i Super Hybrid are due on sale in Australia in the coming months. 

But it’s not a case of Chinese manufacturers banding together to deliver a new wave of plug-in hybrid vehicles... no, they’re all (allegedly) copying Chery.

Those are the fighting words of Chery Australia chief operating officer Lucas Harris, who told carsales – at the launch of its very own Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid SUVs, no less – that rival Chinese manufacturers are “100 per cent” copying Chery. 

When asked if it was a coincidence that so many ‘Super Hybrid’ models were suddenly arriving Down Under, Harris said: “No, they’re copying us… 100 per cent they are.”

“Maybe we should be flattered that some of our competitors decided to copy our technology, or the name of our technology, because their technology actually is not the same.”

Claimed to have commandeered the ‘Super Hybrid’ name over 12 months ago in Europe, Harris admitted that BYD beat it to the Aussie market with the Shark 6 dual-cab ute.

Jaecoo, a sub-brand of Chery, sells the J7 SHS (Super Hybrid System), while the Chery Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 are on sale this month with CHS (Chery Super Hybrid) tech.

Super Hybrid is the latest plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology, and while each vehicle manufacturer has a slightly different definition, most claim supreme levels of efficiency, even if the user doesn’t regularly plug it in to a power source.

That’s because it will reserve electricity – in Chery’s case, the battery won’t drop below 10 per cent charge – so it’s never completely flat, forcing the combustion engine to power the vehicle.

According to Harris, most if not all PHEVs that are on sale now become “awful to drive” as soon as the primary hybrid battery runs low.

“Noise goes up considerably, the power delivery and driving feeling is significantly worse; and the fuel economy is just awful,” he said.

“That’s a big difference with our technology; you can drive it around and never, ever, ever plug it in, and you'll have no deteriorated performance at all.

“You won’t suffer any negative consequences by not plugging it in.”

Like regular plug-in hybrids, most Super Hybrid models claim EV-only driving ranges of around 100km, a combined driving range (in some cases) upwards of 1000km, and a combined average fuel economy of as little as 0.42 litres per 100km (MG HS Super Hybrid).

Ridiculously low fuel economy claims like MG’s will really only be achievable when driving the vehicle on pure electricity, but even MG says you’ll be able to treat its Super Hybrid like a regular hybrid and never need to plug it in.

Harris admitted consumers are still getting used to PHEV terminology, but a bigger concern was continuing to use the term ‘plug-in hybrid’ for Chery’s new generation of PHEVs, because it’s a “barrier for people”.

“We want customers to know that if they choose to buy a Super Hybrid, they don’t have to worry about plugging it in. Obviously, there’s enormous benefits if you do, but if you never plug it in, that’s totally fine.”

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