2.22L/100km Ultra-Low Fuel Consumption! Geely Unveils Next-Gen i-HEV Technology; Will Proton Benefit Soon?

Geely Shakes Up the Hybrid World Again! On April 13, Geely officially launched its next-generation hybrid technology, branded as i-HEV Intelligent Hybrid. This new system not only sets new benchmarks in efficiency but also marks a groundbreaking milestone: it is the world's first hybrid powertrain to integrate an AI large model. The launch signals Geely's full transition into a high-end, intelligent electrified era, particularly for its "Star" series.

Core Highlights: Breaking Efficiency Barriers

The i-HEV hybrid technology represents far more than a simple hardware upgrade — it is a fundamental evolution of the vehicle's "brain".

World-Leading Thermal Efficiency: Powered by Geely's self-developed hybrid-specific engine, the system achieves an impressive thermal efficiency of 48.4%, setting a new record for mass-produced engines.

Xingrui AI-powered Drive 2.0: As the world's first hybrid powertrain integrated with the Xingrui AI-powered Drive 2.0 large language model, it leverages real-time AI computing to boost overall energy efficiency by more than 10%.

Extreme Fuel Economy: In official testing, the Xingrui i-HEV equipped with this technology achieved a remarkable combined fuel consumption of just 2.22L/100km. Real-world road tests delivered an equally impressive figure of 2.58L/100km.

Uncompromised Performance: Faster Off-the-Line Than an EV?

Hybrid doesn't have to mean boring. The i-HEV system delivers remarkably aggressive performance.

Powerful Electric Drive: It features an 11-in-1 hybrid-specific electric drive unit producing a maximum power of 230 kW — 1.72 times higher than that of traditional HEV systems.

Instant Acceleration: The system achieves 0–30 km/h in just 1.84 seconds, delivering explosive instant torque that rivals pure electric vehicles, especially during city traffic starts and overtaking maneuvers.

Intelligent Architecture: Built on Geely's GEEA 3.0 architecture, the i-HEV system supports advanced cloud synergy and the G-ASD (Geely Advanced Smart Driving) system for enhanced intelligence and responsiveness.

Impact on the Malaysian Market

For Malaysian consumers, the most pressing question is whether this advanced i-HEV technology will eventually reach our shores. Geely has confirmed that, starting from 2026, its core mainstream models will be fully equipped with the new i-HEV hybrid system.

Given Proton's e.MAS electrification strategy and its deep technical partnership with Geely, the i-HEV hybrid — which delivers an excellent balance between long-distance range and superior city fuel efficiency — is highly likely to become the core powertrain for future Proton models, such as the next-generation X70 or S70 facelifts. In a market where charging infrastructure is still developing, this highly efficient 2L/100km-class hybrid technology offers a practical and realistic solution for Malaysian drivers.