HAVAL South Africa is expanding its hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) offering, with the launch of the self-charging Jolion HEV.
The Chinese multinational automaker says the debut of an HEV in the affordable SUV segment is set to make hybrid motoring more accessible.
It will allow more South Africans to benefit from green mobility, offering benefits in terms of performance, fuel economy and reduced impact of greenhouse gas emissions, it adds.
The vehicle maker made its local HEV debut with the HAVAL H6 last year.
The new Jolion HEV is available in luxury (from R549 950) and super-luxury (from R579 950) models.
Both models feature intelligent and innovative technology that creates a new hybrid experience through its self-charging capability, notes the company.
The vehicle has a 1.5-litre hybrid drivetrain that combines a petrol engine with an electric motor. Power balancing tech allows it to operate solely on electric power, or through a combination of the electric motor and the internal combustion engine.
“The Jolion HEV can seamlessly transfer between configurations − including EV, Series Hybrid, Parallel Hybrid and Regeneration − depending on the driving conditions and driver input,” says HAVAL in a statement.
“During normal driving, when certain parameters are met, pure electric power is seamlessly activated. Once increased speed and acceleration is required, the internal combustion engine is activated and supplies extra power.”
A dedicated hybrid transmission combines the outputs of the internal combustion engine and the hybrid system, resulting in a total power output of 140kW and 375Nm.
The Jolion HEV is capable of using as little as five litres per 100km, says HAVAL. The driver is also able to tailor the power delivery via a variety of driving modes.
All Jolion HEV models feature an electronic stability system, traction control, anti-lock braking system and electronic braking system.
There is also a smart collision avoidance system that, when activated, will control the vehicle to ensure a safe distance is kept when overtaking large vehicles.
The super-luxury models featuredriver assistance technologies, such as a 360-degree panoramic camera, adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, intelligent turning assist, traffic sign recognition and blind spot detection.