Sonata 9 Hybrid Analysis/Experience

"342 plastic surgery hospitals, girls starting to put on makeup in fifth grade, and cosmetics retail stores are a major tourist feature in South Korea..." This was the first story the tour guide told me on the bus after arriving in Seoul, South Korea. I have always had the impression that Korean cars are good-looking and "showy", and the tour guide's words have further strengthened my inner belief that Koreans pursue beauty in a "brainless" way. However, when the bus drove into the headquarters of Hyundai Group and the technicians explained to me the latest hybrid technology of Sonata 9, the inherent impression of Hyundai models in my mind began to change a little...

● Introduction of Sonata 9 Hybrid

The Sonata VIII, launched in China in 2011, has been the backbone of Beijing Hyundai. However, facing the increasingly mature new energy vehicle market, Hyundai Group did not launch the Sonata VIII hybrid version in China after the Sonata VIII was launched in China. In addition, the price of the imported Sonata VIII hybrid version of nearly 300,000 yuan seems to be daunting to most people. Now, one year after the Sonata IX was launched, the domestically produced Sonata IX plug-in hybrid version has arrived, and the price starting from 209,800 yuan is obviously more affordable.

Hyundai used two methods to transform the Sonata 9 into a new energy vehicle. In addition to the HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) version available in China, there is also a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) version. The previous generation Sonata VIII only had a regular oil-electric hybrid model. These two hybrid models are basically the same in appearance, except for the difference in whether there is a charging port or not.

It is worth mentioning that the design of the Hyundai Sonata 9 won the 2016 International Red Dot Design Award, which is enough to prove the strength of Korean cars in design, but can it make consumers buy it just by its appearance like waves of Korean stars? For this new hybrid power model, we are more eager for the tangible benefits of new energy technology.

●  Fuel economy comparable to Toyota hybrid?

When it comes to hybrid technology, Toyota may be the first thing that comes to mind. Yes, this Japanese automaker is indeed at the forefront of global automakers, and the rising star Hyundai aims to PK this "big brother" in the hybrid technology industry. For example, in terms of fuel consumption, the Hyundai Sonata 9 Hybrid version equipped with a 2.0L engine has a comprehensive fuel consumption of only 4.8L/100km, while one of its competitors, the Camry Hybrid version (equipped with a 2.5L engine), has a fuel consumption of 5.3L per 100km.

The Sonata 9 Hybrid uses a 2.0L naturally aspirated engine, which is characterized by the Atkinson cycle technology . The so-called Atkinson cycle is not a high-end new technology. Compared with the Otto cycle of ordinary internal combustion engines, its principle is to use the valve phase regulator to control the late closing of the intake valve, so that the intake valve remains open for a period of time after the intake stroke of the engine, so that part of the inhaled mixture is exhaled again, achieving the effect of expansion ratio greater than compression ratio, which can improve fuel economy to a certain extent.

Through the above comparison, we can find that in terms of power parameters, the 2.0L engine of Sonata 9 is basically at the same level as the 2.0L engines of Camry, Accord and Malibu. The slight difference is that the 2.0L engine of Sonata 9 has a lower speed when it exerts maximum power, and a higher speed when it reaches maximum torque. In theory, you can experience its maximum acceleration at a higher speed.

- Electric motor and battery system

It can be seen that the battery capacity of the Sonata 9 Hybrid, Camry Hybrid and Accord Hybrid are very small, all not exceeding 2kWh. According to the foreign Sonata plug-in hybrid version with a battery capacity of 9.8kWh and a pure electric range of 43km, it can be roughly calculated that the range of the Sonata 9 Hybrid is only a few kilometers. Even when the battery is fully charged, it can basically only be used to drive around the community twice.

For hybrid models that cannot be plugged in, their pure electric range is generally not too long, because the battery capacity design is carefully considered. It does not mean that the larger the capacity, the better. Because the battery power comes entirely from the engine and brake energy recovery, if the capacity is too large, it is difficult for us to fully charge the battery pack under normal use. Therefore, the uncharged part not only does not play a role, but also increases the weight of the car and affects fuel economy. In fact, engineers are more concerned about the durability and reliability of the battery during long-term use.

Compared with water-cooled thermal management systems, air-cooled systems achieve the same purpose while effectively controlling costs. Of course, air-cooled systems also have some drawbacks, such as the extra noise that the blower generates when cooling the battery pack, which in theory may have some impact on the driving quality of the car. However, these problems are not the most difficult to solve. The core of the entire hybrid system is how to blend the two power sources of "oil" and "electricity"?

    ● How to make the engine and the electric motor "dance" harmoniously?

Judging from the power output characteristics of the engine and electric motor, their two "personalities" are completely different. The key to hybrid technology lies in how to control these two guys to coexist harmoniously so that they can better couple the power output.

- Toyota THS (Toyota Hybrid System) with 6 gears to adjust 2 types of power

Toyota, which has taken the lead in hybrid power, has already registered its own patented technology - E-CVT (it should be emphasized that E-CVT is not a CVT gearbox). It is a power distribution device that couples the engine and two electric motors through a planetary gear mechanism and eliminates the traditional gearbox structure.

- Honda hybrid technology that eliminates the traditional gearbox

The reason why Honda Accord's hybrid system can also eliminate the traditional gearbox is that its engine will only drive the vehicle through the clutch at medium and high speeds. The wheel speed is higher when driving at medium and high speeds, and the torque output by the engine does not require a large reduction ratio to be transmitted to the wheels, so the deceleration process of the traditional gearbox is omitted, and the vehicle can be directly driven by the main reducer.

- In the hybrid trend, why didn’t Hyundai learn from Toyota and Honda?

It can be said that the hybrid technologies of Toyota and Honda have all replaced the traditional gearbox mechanism, making the entire hybrid structure look simpler. However, the simplification of the hardware structure has increased the difficulty of the system control logic. Therefore, for various considerations, the hybrid technology of Hyundai Sonata 9 did not follow their path.

Compared with the latest hybrid technology of Toyota and Honda, the hybrid technology of Hyundai Sonata 9 is simpler, and because it directly intervenes the electric motor in the power output through the clutch, its hybrid control logic is far less complicated than that of Toyota and Honda. Hyundai's system cannot be said to have the highest technical content or the most economical and environmentally friendly, but in terms of reliability, Hyundai is not necessarily worse than the previous two.

During starting and low-speed stages, the Sonata 9 Hybrid is completely powered by the electric motor; during sudden acceleration and uphill driving, when strong torque is required, the engine and electric motor will work together to drive the vehicle; when cruising at a higher speed, the electric motor and the engine will work alternately. When the battery pack has sufficient power, the electric motor will take priority as the power source, and when the power is insufficient, the engine will provide power while charging the battery pack; in addition, the electric motor will recover part of the braking energy during deceleration and braking.

● Brief driving experience

The Sonata 9 Hybrid has three driving modes to choose from: normal, energy-saving and sports. In normal mode, the engine starts to intervene when I accelerate the vehicle to 40km/h (the official said that if the battery power is sufficient, the Sonata 9 Hybrid can theoretically reach a maximum speed of 120km/h in pure electric drive). The intervention process is very smooth, and I can only distinguish the speed of the vehicle at the intervention point through the engine icon on the central control display.

In general, although the Sonata 9 has an electric motor with fast torque response, it did not give me too much of a radical impression during the short test drive. In addition to the limitations of the hybrid infrastructure that make it difficult to design it very sporty, the more important thing is its model positioning that focuses on smoothness and economy.

● Summary

Hyundai Group has always performed well in the field of new energy. When Toyota and Honda were working on the transition of fuel cell models from concept to mass production, its ix35 fuel cell car was launched in the United States. In addition, the plug-in hybrid system of Sonata IX also won the 2016 Ward's 10 Best Engines Award. This award is enough to prove that Korean cars are not only beautiful, but also have made achievements in new energy technology.

The Sonata 9 Hybrid and Sonata 9 Plug-in Hybrid use similar hardware structures, but differ in motor power, battery capacity, and plug-in system. If your workplace is not too far from home, the 35km pure electric range of the Sonata 9 Hybrid is enough to meet your commute. If unfortunately your route is congested, pure electric driving can also ensure excellent economy. Finally, since this was only a brief test drive experience in South Korea, please wait for our more detailed test drive article later for more in-depth and informative evaluation content.