HAVAL has unveiled a raft of new vehicles boasting engine technologies at Auto China 2018 in Beijing, designed to further increase the performance potential of China's leading SUV brand.
The company showed off its new H4 and H6 SUVs, powered by the company's upgraded 1.5-litre turbocharged four, boasting new Continuous Variable Valve Lift technology which has increased power from 110kW to 124, torque from 210Nm to 285 and slashed fuel economy by 8 percent.
Designed to meet Euro VI emissions standards, the new 1.5-litre engine is matched to an all-new seven speed dual clutch transmission (7DCT) developed and produced by HAVAL. It represents the first time an independent Chinese manufacturer has developed its own DCT.
The updated H6 boasts new styling, with a new five-bar grille and LED headlamps. Inside, new seats with improved ergonomics have been added, as well a larger panoramic sunroof.
The new H6 boasts the latest safety technology, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking. It also features a 360-degree camera and semi-automatic self-parking.
The all-new H4 is based on the HR-02 concept shown at Auto China 2016. Measuring 4420mm long by 1845mm wide and 1695mm high, the new H4 rides on a 2660mm wheelbase.
Inside, the new H4 features an all-new high-tech interior, including a floating 12-inch screen, LCD instrument panel and keyboard-style switchgear.
It comes equipped with a 360-degree vision system, lane departure warning, lane change assist, tyre pressure monitoring and front and rear parking sensors.
It also features the new HAVAL Connected telematics system, which can be used for smartphone mirroring, emergency rescue, security monitoring and remote vehicle diagnosis.
HAVAL used the show to unveil its first fully autonomous pure electric SUV.
Branded under the company's luxury arm, the WEY X will offer L5 autonomous driving performance. This means the artificial intelligence system in the WEY X will mirror that of a highly trained human driver, in scenarios including dirt roads and bad weather.
WEY X follows in the footsteps of the pure electric XEV concept unveiled at the 2017 International Automobile Exhibition in Frankfurt.
The 2018 iteration blends seamlessly with existing vehicle to vehicle (V2V) and vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) technology in a fully integrated transportation network. Combined with the latest autonomous driving expertise, the WEY X identifies and predicts potential risks in advance to minimise the potential for accidents.
Engineers have replaced traditional keys and buttons in the WEY X with a full biometric identification system. Each registered user can create their own individual set-up, including seats, music preferences and preferred navigation information.
The company's newest brand – Ora – was officially launched at the show. Ora will be dedicated to the development and manufacture of pure electric vehicles.
Two concept vehicles were displayed at the show – the Ora R1 and Ora R2. Both electric minicars are built on a new platform dubbed 'ME', which incorporates maximum wheelbase in a small compact package.
The Ora R1 concept adopts an angular design, offset by round headlights and a blue/white colour combination.
The R2 concept car is larger, with a headlight integrated with the grille. The underside of the bumper is sleek and the A pillars are painted black to help form a "C" shape. Concealed door handles helps reduce wind resistance and adds to the overall 'science-fiction' look.
Both concept vehicles include intelligent communication features including mobile phone access, vehicle networking and owner identification.
Initially designed for domestic consumption only, the Ora range of production EVs are expected to go on sale later this year.
HAVAL also released details of its electric motor development, which to date has seen a 60 million dollar investment. The company has built a new research centre measuring almost 6000 square metres at its headquarters in Baoding, housing 19 electronic powertrain labs and six plug-in hybrid powertrain labs.
A new production line has been set up to build electronic motors and controlling units, with a total capacity of 300,000 units annually.
In addition, the company has employed 420 engineers to work on new energy vehicles, developing hybrid and EV control unit software. The first application of this work will be the new WEY P8 plug-in electric hybrid.
HAVAL also released details of its i-Pilot smart driving system, being developed collaboratively by engineers from the R&D centres in North America, China and India. It has already achieved an L3 autonomous driving level.
The system is currently undergoing road testing with an expected production start date of 2020, built initially for operation on main highways in China. It will be able to autonomously handle unique conditions such as roadworks and traffic jams.
i-Pilot 2.0 is being simultaneously developed, for unmanned driving in specific urban conditions. It can be used to support new functions including car sharing remote control via mobile telephones.
In 2023, i-Pilot 3.0 will be introduced to take advantage of increased development in V2X (vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure) technology.
The program will culminate in 2025 with i-Pilot 4.0 that will offer a full L5 autonomous driving experience. This is designed to ensure the HAVAL SUV can fully achieve autonomous driving under normal road conditions, with no driver intervention required.
HAVAL also released details of a new strategic cooperation memorandum with Baidu, the Chinese IT giant.
The two companies will carry out strategic cooperation into vehicle internet connectivity, autonomous driving, car sharing and big data to increase intelligent vehicle technology.