It looks like Chery Auto Philippines is ready to expand its electrified vehicle offering with the Tiggo 7 Pro in the coming months.
Although the SUV in question is still covered in shadows, the official teaser material, which has the copy, “REVive [sic] Your Passion for the Environment” and the number, “7” in the background likely points to either the Tiggo 7 Pro Mild Hybrid or the Tiggo 7 Pro PHEV (see embedded post).
If it’s the former, the Tiggo 7 Pro’s turbocharged 1.5-liter will gain an electrical assist. Though peak outputs remain close to its combustion engine counterpart (160 horsepower, 250 Nm or a gain of 10 horsepower and 40 Nm), the 48-volt system should result in improved low end torque since an Integrated Starter Generator or ISG replaces the traditional alternator. This version also gains an idle start/stop system, while braking energy is re-captured during braking or deceleration. This version continues to run on a CVT.
If it’s the latter, it will literally offer a substantial boost in both power and efficiency to Chery’s compact SUV.
Based on their Chinese website, the Tiggo 7 Pro PHEV hooks up the turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine (156 horsepower, 230 Nm) to a dual electric motor making 170 horsepower and 315 Nm. Total system output is rated at 326 horsepower and 545 Nm of torque. If these numbers are familiar, it should be: those are exactly the same outputs found in the 7-seater Tiggo 8 Pro PHEV.
Like the Tiggo 8 Pro PHEV, the Tiggo 7 Pro PHEV has a 3-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT) system and thanks to a 19.27-kWh lithium-ion battery, does an all-electric range of 80 kilometers. And even when the combustion engine kicks in, it can do up to 16.8 km/L in a mixed city, highway setting.
Tweaking the brightness/contrast of the teaser photo shows that Chery won’t be offering the refreshed Tiggo 7 Pro PHEV. The version in the lead photo (the most current model in China) has a larger hexagonal grille with vertical slats and pizza-cutter style alloy wheels. However, the photo reveals some close to what international markets currently get. Of course, this could simply be a placeholder.
In any case, it looks like Chery Auto Philippines is doubling down on their promise to offer more electrified vehicle offerings to the Philippine market, and given how the carmaker priced the Tiggo 8 Pro PHEV, it’ll be exciting to find out how much they’ll offer this electrified 5-seater Tiggo 7 Pro.
Whether the country gets the Mild Hybrid or PHEV, the Manila International Auto Show isn’t too far away now, so more info will be revealed before then.
I believe it's more likely that they'll be launching the Tiggo 7 Pro MHEV and not the PHEV. The MHEV is already available in some markets outside China unlike the PHEV so that might make more sense. Shame though since it's just the same 1.5T with a 48v Hybrid system and not a fill-in hybrid.
ReplyDelete*not a full-on hybrid
DeleteUpdated the story to add the MHEV variant as well. Thanks for the info.
DeleteIf may not be a PHEV, but if it's priced very well, it could be a hit. And given Suzuki set a precedence to have the Ertiga Hybrid be coding exempt...it could very well happen here as well.
Knock knock knock with that 1.5L tiggo engine
DeleteShould the Ertiga even be counted as a mild mild hybrid system? I remember there being a memo to Geely dealers not to advertise their cars as coding-exempt because they were only mild hybrids. DOE/LTO should really clarify.
DeleteChinese cars may not dethrone Toyota but will surely eat up sales from the other Jap & Korean manufacturers - so Mitsu, Nissan, Suzuki, Honda, Subaru, Mazda, Kia, Hyundai
ReplyDeleteEat up sales? Maybe, for now. But years later when people realize what pieces of junk these chinese cars are, the sales will return to those you mentioned.
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