When it comes to new energy vehicles, the first things that come to mind are pure electric EVs and plug-in hybrid PHEVs, making it seem as if the voice of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) has weakened. For instance, after the Honda Accord was redesigned, the HEV version was discontinued, leaving only Toyota still promoting its dual-engine technology across its brand. However, apart from fuel efficiency, quietness, and smoothness, it doesn't seem to have any other particularly outstanding advantages, especially when it comes to weaker power. The Camry Hybrid's zero-to-sixty acceleration is in the 8-second range, which is indeed a bit slow in the era of electric cars that can break the 100 km/h mark in 4 or 5 seconds. Is there really no potential left to tap into with HEV technology?

HEV hybrids are not just about Toyota; Ford is also a player.

Not at all! Toyota's main appeal with its hybrid technology is fuel efficiency, using naturally aspirated engines and not emphasizing high horsepower. They also have hybrids like the Lexus RX with a 2.4T engine, which can achieve zero-to-sixty acceleration in the 6-second range, depending on your starting point.

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There is also a brand that pursues "low fuel consumption + high horsepower," and that is Ford. It, along with Toyota, is one of the most active brands in promoting HEV technology. Ford's 2.0T high-horsepower E-hybrid system, composed of an EcoBoost 2.0T engine and dual electric motors, has achieved a zero-to-sixty time in the 7-second range on the Edge L. On a smaller vehicle, it would only be faster. It is reported that the Mondeo, equipped with this 2.0T hybrid system—the Mondeo Sport version—is about to hit the market, becoming another strong addition to Ford's high-horsepower E-hybrid technology.

EVOS integrated into the Mondeo series

Recently, Changan Ford has integrated the EVOS with a new 2.0T high-horsepower hybrid model into the Mondeo lineup. This is entirely based on Changan Ford's feedback from customers: it shares the same platform with the Mondeo, and it was not originally a standard SUV. With a height of 1600mm, it is not much taller than mainstream sedans, and people are more inclined to view it as a crossover vehicle. The integration makes more sense.

It is worth mentioning that after transferring Ford's 2.0T hybrid system from the Edge L to the Mondeo, the car is lighter, and the power experience is definitely more intense. The addition of this powertrain makes the Mondeo the only mid-to-high-end car in its class with four powertrain options: the 1.5T for economy, the 1.5T hybrid for low fuel consumption, the 2.0T for performance, and the 2.0T hybrid for both performance and fuel efficiency. No matter which aspect the customer is pursuing, the Mondeo can meet their needs. The most powerful Mondeo is here, and if anyone says "hybrid cars are not powerful enough" in the future, Ford will be the first to disagree.In terms of exterior and interior design, the Mondiale Sport's most striking feature is its streamlined coupe SUV silhouette, with a low-slung design that reduces wind resistance and exudes a dynamic appearance. The hatchback tailgate and J-shaped taillights are unforgettable, and the "belt screen" inside the car should be a standard feature, after all, the Sport version is the high-end configuration within the series.

High-horsepower power split

Now, let's move from the exterior to the interior. The most fundamental change in this vehicle is the adoption of a 2.0T hybrid system. This powertrain uses a power-split hybrid structure, which is more complex and harder to control than the various DHT hybrids currently available in China. It relies more on mechanical structures (rather than electronic software algorithms) for mutual restraint, requiring a great deal of complex calibration work. The reason for taking this path is that electronic technology was not advanced in the 1990s, and the mechanical planetary gear speed adjustment had an advantage.

However, as ordinary consumers, we don't need to worry about such complex principles; we just need to understand how it works and what benefits it offers.

Firstly, the benefit is that the car becomes cheaper: power split is an approach that is hard to avoid in HEV hybrid vehicles, and the technology is currently efficient and mature, with a large market share that reduces production costs. Secondly, it doesn't require charging and can be driven like a conventional fuel car, but with significantly lower fuel consumption. Moreover, it is primarily engine-driven, ensuring that there will be no sudden loss of power when driving at high speeds. This technological path allows the engine to charge at any time, and a small battery can handle some pure electric driving, eliminating the need to spend extra on a larger battery. With shallow charging and discharging, the battery becomes more durable.

In essence, all hybrids with engines aim to find a way to keep the engine operating in its most efficient range, with the rest coordinated by "electricity," and the "way" power split uses is through planetary gears.

The so-called power split device (PSD) distributes the power of the engine and electric motor through this planetary gear, which can be a 7/3 split for joint power output, pure electric, or even regenerative braking to recharge the battery.Planetary gears consist of an outer ring gear, a central sun gear, and a planet carrier (planetary array) that connects the two. These three rotating components are connected to three driving units, where the ring gear is connected to motor 2, the sun gear is connected to motor 1, and the planet carrier is connected to the engine.

When motor 2 is the sole power source, it is connected to the ring gear on one side and to the output shaft leading to the wheels on the other. In this case, power is directly applied to the wheels, with the engine and motor 1 being in a "relaxed" state, not operating, which is the pure electric mode.

If there is a higher demand for power, the engine will come into play to provide greater torque and alleviate the pressure on motor 2. As mentioned earlier, the engine in a hybrid vehicle should be made to operate in its most efficient range. At this point, motor 1 plays a role in speed regulation, which could be rotating in the forward or reverse direction to maintain an optimal engine speed.

Further, when there is an even greater demand for power (such as during overtaking or rapid acceleration), the battery also becomes involved in the operation, contributing to the output effort.When the brake pedal is applied, the motor 1 and the engine do not operate, and energy is transferred to the battery through motor 2, which also acts as a generator at this time.

There is one more operating condition to consider: during prolonged idling, the engine needs to charge the battery through motor 1 to ensure the battery has sufficient power. It is precisely because of this ability to charge at any time that the batteries in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are quite small and do not need to be large.

Each part of the planetary gear set can serve as an input or output for power, with the engine and two motors achieving seamless power distribution. The range of applications is very broad, covering an extremely comprehensive range of operating conditions, from starting to cruising, rapid acceleration, braking, and so on.

Speaking of the Ford Mondeo Sport, the most noticeable difference from Toyota's hybrid system is the use of a very powerful 2.0T engine, with a maximum net power of 210 kW and a peak torque of 403 N·m. It does not use the Atkinson cycle often associated with hybrid vehicles, which means it does not overly emphasize thermal efficiency but rather pursues strong performance. This may result in a higher overall fuel consumption but at least ensures a better dynamic experience when driving.

It seems that when it comes to hybrid vehicles, Americans still prioritize horsepower over fuel efficiency. However, to be fair, the use of HEV hybrid technology definitely results in significantly lower fuel consumption compared to pure internal combustion engine vehicles. We have not yet tested the 2.0T hybrid Mondeo Sport, but based on the previous 1.5T hybrid version, the fuel consumption at an average speed of 33 km/h during the evening rush hour was 4.0 L/100 km, which is quite impressive, isn't it? The 2.0T hybrid version is expected to be around 4.5 L/100 km. In the past, if you said that a Ford could consume less than 8 liters per 100 km, people would think it was just a fluke.

How to choose between HEV and PHEV?

So, the question arises, with hybrid vehicles consuming only 4 to 5 liters per 100 km, the cost of operation is indeed very low, amounting to just over 30 cents per kilometer. At this point, how do you choose between a HEV and a PHEV?In fact, it's quite simple. If you have a private charging pile, just go for a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle). Plug it in to charge when you park, and you basically don't have to worry about running out of electricity for daily use. If you don't have a charging pile, and the PHEV's pure electric range doesn't reach 200km, then you really can consider an HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle). It's just a difference of a few cents. But if you choose a PHEV and charging is inconvenient, you might end up with both oil and electricity being a hassle. Once you compare the costs of charging and refueling, you might be reluctant to refuel. However, although charging is cheaper, it's too frequent and finding a charging pile is troublesome. It's better to make up your mind from the start to choose an HEV, such as this Ford Mondeo Sport version with a powerful engine that's more enjoyable to drive.