GWM reverses the order and debuts plug-in hybrid system with the Tank 300 instead of the Haval H6; new version of the jeep is now on sale
Tank, GWM’s off-road SUV division, has just announced, at the Beijing Motor Show, the plug-in flex hybrid version of the Tank 300. It is the first engine with this combination in the world. The sport utility vehicle with an adventurous vocation will open its reservations from this Saturday (25), with a fixed price of R$ 342,000.
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The project was developed in partnership with Bosch, at a cost of approximately R$ 16 million. The novelties added for the use of ethanol include new spark plugs, fuel filter and high pressure pump. There is also the new ethanol sensor and engine calibration for the Miller cycle.
For the rest, the Tank 300 is no different from the model we already know: it maintains the electrified system, with a 2.0 turbo engine associated with an electric motor that, together, yield 394 hp and 76,0 kgfm. The transmission is a nine-speed automatic, with all-wheel drive and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 6,8 seconds.
In terms of consumption, says GWM, the SUV does up to 18.3 km/l in the city and 18.8 km/l on the highway with gasoline and up to 13.1 km/l and 14.1 km/l with ethanol, respectively, under the same conditions. The 37.1 kWh battery offers a range of up to 74 km in electric mode by the Inmetro standard. In quick recharge, the model accepts up to 50 kW, allowing you to fill your battery from 30% to 80% in approximately 24 minutes.
Asked why the Tank 300 and not the Haval H6 (which uses a 1.5 engine and has more sales volume), the executives explained that the project ran in parallel, but the fact that the Tank’s 2.0 is only plug-in hybrid facilitated the work and allowed its early launch. In the case of the Haval H6, calibrations are needed for the PHEV and conventional hybrid variants, which require more work. The project, however, should be finalized soon.
In an interview with the Brazilian press, GWM’s chairman, Jack Wey, says that it is a solution for the basic market, given the importance that the country has for the brand’s operations and, therefore, deserved an announcement on a global stage. Asked if he could apply the technology in other markets, such as India, he points out that the demand for ethanol there is still low. The next step will be to make the H6’s 1.5 engine more flexible, which should consume another R$ 14 million in investments.
