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Sydney to Melbourne and back – without stopping for fuel or electricity – could come to the next generation of Chery's Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 SUVs.
Future Super Hybrid family SUVs from Chinese car giant Chery could promise a driving range of 2000km, thanks to a new plug-in system promising lower fuel use and increased power.
Chery has used Australia to reveal the sixth generation of its hybrid technology, which is due to roll out in popular models sold in global markets from late 2026 or early 2027.
The headline claim is a "targeted" driving range of 2000 kilometres on a mix of petrol and electric power, up from 1200km in the most advanced Chery hybrids currently available in Australia.
If such a new-generation vehicle is sold locally – and the lab-test claim can be matched in the real world – it would be the longest-range new car available in Australia, capable of driving from Sydney to Melbourne and back without refuelling or recharging.
It is yet to be confirmed which vehicles will debut the new hybrid system, but Chery has named SUVs in the rollout, and said it can come to existing models with future facelifts.
"It's all part of upgrades; [with] model year upgrades, facelifts, and then we include the powertrain technology upgrades too," Peter Matkin, Chery executive director of engineering for international programs, told Drive.
While they are new models to Australia, the Tiggo 8 can trace its roots to 2018 – and the Tiggo 7 to 2020 – so they are likely candidates for all-new models in the coming years.
Two versions of the new-generation Chery Super Hybrid system will be developed, to suit models of different sizes.
SUVs weighing between 1500kg and 2000kg – equivalent to models up to the mid-size Tiggo 8 in footprint – will produce 160kW and 275Nm from the electric motor in their 'DHT160' hybrid system, up from 150kW today.
A more powerful 'DHT230' version for SUVs weighing over two tonnes – which could include a future version of today's Kia Sorento-sized Tiggo 9 seven-seater – will produce 260kW and 330Nm.
Current Chery Super Hybrid models sold locally pair their electric motors and hybrid transmissions with 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engines.
Both use a new '16 in one' motor design claimed to reduce weight by 30 per cent and volume by 30 per cent, spin to 24,000rpm, and when towing, use new cooling technology to improve heat dissipation by 40 per cent.
It is expected to be paired to a new 18.46kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack, claimed to be more durable than earlier iterations, with improved waterproofing and puncture resistance.
It is only marginally larger than the 18.3kWh pack in a Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid – and smaller than a Tiggo 9's 34kWh unit – but larger versions are expected to come to bigger Chery SUVs, as well as its upcoming ute.
Chery has promised a mild improvement in fuel economy of 3 per cent – compared to a "real-world" figure for its current technology of 2.98 litres per 100 kilometres, as shown to Australian media by company executives – but it claims it is targeting a driving range of 2000km.
On paper, it would be enough to drive from Sydney to Melbourne and back on a tank of fuel and full battery charge, or from Melbourne to Brisbane.
The current Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid claims a 1200km hybrid range in NEDC testing, and fuel consumption of 1.4 litres per 100 kilometres in lab testing, which runs over shorter distances and favours electric power.
Its 60-litre fuel tank may be upsized for a future model.
Australia's current longest-range new vehicle that isn't a plug-in hybrid – as their low fuel use claims are typically difficult to achieve after the battery is depleted – is the Toyota LandCruiser 78 Series Troop Carrier, which lists 1875km from a 180-litre fuel tank.
Local arrival timing for Chery SUVs with the brand's new hybrid technology is yet to be confirmed.
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
