EDI says the vehicle will pair a 2.4-liter engine with an electric motor to provide an electric-only range of about 30 miles and a full-tank range of a whopping 500 miles. In addition to performance, EDI is touting the government incentives buyers of these lower-emissions vehicles will receive from governments like China. The vehicle will also be a full-size SUV, at least by Chinese standards.
EDI showed up on these pages back in 2011, when it sued Toyota for patent infringement related to Toyota and its Lexus badge’s hybrid vehicles. The case was settled the following year, though terms were kept confidential. Check out EDI’s press release below.
Company develops top performing, affordable SUV in response to rising asian market demand
Milpitas, CA, April 13, 2015–Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI), a global leader in advanced zero emissions, high-efficiency hybrid and electric drivetrain solutions, today announced the availability of an affordable new energy plug-in hybrid electric SUV for the Asian marketplace. Based on its proprietary drivetrain technology, the SUV offers the highest performance for a PHEV in its class.
The SUV market continues to demonstrate explosive growth in Asia and the Pacific Rim, and we consider it a prime, high-volume opportunity for EDI,” said Joerg Ferchau, CEO of Efficient Drivetrains. “We set out to develop a vehicle that goes well beyond consumer expectations, delivering an affordable PHEV SUV platform, with full-performance features. This is the first of its kind in this vehicle class.”
EDI leveraged its proven technology to address the increasing demand from Asian automakers seeking a path to offer a cost-competitive, fuel efficient SUV. The vehicle is a full-size Chinese SUV with a 2.4 Liter engine that has been converted into a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). The vehicle offers an affordable price point for PHEV in its class with full electric capability for over 50 km, making it eligible for government incentives, which further reduces its purchase price.
In addition to cost savings, the vehicle has several other advantages over other PHEVs including higher performance with improved acceleration and torque, lower fuel consumption, and a higher top speed. The range of the vehicle is also significantly longer; EDI’s PHEV SUV is capable of driving over 800km on a single tank of gasoline, a significantly longer range compared to the less than 600km a standard vehicle of the same class is capable of.
EDI’s PHEV SUV can be charged with a level 1 or 2 standard electric plug. This capability allows the vehicle to use about half as much liquid fuel as a conventional vehicle on daily drives ranging from 130 to 160 km when plugged in to a source of electricity every night. Daily drives of 50 km can be accomplished without the use of any liquid fuel.
EDI will be moving into vehicle certification and durability testing next–seeking government certifications in key geographies in Asia. The company is also in discussions with several auto manufacturers for incremental development projects.
About EDI:
Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI) develops and markets a range of state-of-the-art proprietary drivetrain products and technologies that have direct application in PHEVs, HEVs, and BEVs worldwide. EDI’s leading-edge hybrid-electric drivetrain systems and technologies enable zero-emissions driving and provide significant cost and efficiency advantages for parallel and series hybrid drivetrain architectures across nearly all platform classes and configurations. EDI is currently active in automotive projects throughout North America and the APAC region.
Visit www.efficientdrivetrains.com for more information.
