In a world obsessed with volts and charging times, it’s oddly refreshing to hear someone talk about… combustion. Real, honest-to-goodness explosions. The sort that make pistons dance and petrolheads smile. And yet, at the 2025 International User Summit, Omoda & Jaecoo—yes, the same Chery Group duo waving the EV flag across Europe—stood up and said, “Actually, there’s still life (and efficiency) left in the old fire-breathing engine.”
The headline? A 48 percent thermal efficiency internal combustion engine. That’s not just a tidy number—it’s a proper engineering mic drop. To put it in perspective, most modern engines hover around 38–45 percent. Each percentage point gained is like finding another 2.5 percent in your wallet every time you fill up. It’s the kind of leap that makes both accountants and climate activists quietly nod in approval.
But what’s the point, you ask, when electric cars are stealing all the headlines? Well, Omoda & Jaecoo aren’t blind to the plug-in revolution. They’re just being pragmatic. The future, they argue, isn’t purely electric—it’s intelligently hybrid. And for the next decade or so, squeezing every drop of efficiency from petrol might actually be the smartest route to lower global energy consumption.
Under the bonnet, Chery’s engineers have gone full mad scientist. We’re talking about an ultra-high 26:1 compression ratio, triple-link hyperbolic mechanisms (yes, that’s a real thing), 35 percent exhaust gas recirculation, and a thermal insulation coating that practically hugs every joule of energy like it’s precious. The result? Less wasted heat, more motion, fewer emissions—and a combustion cycle that borders on witchcraft.
It’s all part of the brand’s grander plan: an evolution of their SHS (Super Hybrid System), which already boasts a 44.5 percent thermal efficiency thanks to a 1.5 TDGI Miller-cycle engine paired with twin electric motors and an intelligent DHT transmission. In the real world, that setup sips just 6 liters per 100 kilometers, while still giving you up to 56 miles (90 km) of silent, electric-only driving.
And it’s not just efficient—it’s clever. The SHS automatically decides whether to run in electric, hybrid, or engine-only mode depending on how you’re driving, what the terrain’s doing, and whether you’re late for work. The battery? Built to survive heatwaves, floods, and even collisions—cutting power in just two milliseconds if things go sideways. Oh, and there’s a V2L function that can power your campsite espresso machine or DJ setup with 3.3 kilowatts of juice.
In a market racing toward total electrification, Omoda & Jaecoo’s approach feels almost rebellious—an elegant middle finger to the idea that combustion is dead. Maybe the future doesn’t belong only to batteries after all. Maybe it belongs to those clever enough to make fire burn cleaner, hotter, and smarter.
Because in the end, sustainability isn’t just about plugging in. Sometimes, it’s about lighting up—with style.
Source: Omoda & Jaecoo