"1000km on a Single Fill-Up" XM3 Hybrid Real Fuel Efficiency Draws Attention
by Choi Daeyul
Published 26 Jun.2023 14:48(KST)
Updated 26 Jun.2023 15:32(KST)
Hybrid cars run on both an engine and a motor. The principle of improving fuel efficiency is simple. By reducing the operating time of the internal combustion engine and increasing the use of the electric motor, higher fuel efficiency can be achieved. The extra energy generated during the driving process charges the battery, which powers the motor, enabling better fuel economy.
Renault Korea Motors' compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) XM3 E-Tech Hybrid claims to be the "hybrid closest to an electric vehicle." This means the motor actively engages in low to medium speed driving conditions on regular roads to propel the car. This feature has made it popular among consumers who prioritize fuel efficiency.
The official fuel efficiency of this car reaches 17.4 km per liter based on 17-inch tires. With a fuel tank capacity of 50 liters, it can travel approximately 870 km on a full tank according to official figures. However, in real driving conditions, the range is often much longer. According to numerous owners verified on various automotive communities, the driving range on a full tank frequently exceeds 1000 km, which translates to fuel efficiency well over 20 km per liter.
The reason for the high actual fuel efficiency is, as mentioned earlier, the active use of the electric motor. The XM3 E-Tech Hybrid uses a 1.6-liter inline 4-cylinder engine along with two electric motors. The reason for using two electric motors is to recover more kinetic energy and use the stored energy more efficiently. A small 15 kW (20 horsepower) electric motor diligently recovers energy whenever the wheels are rolling and stores it in the battery. This stored energy is then sent to a larger 36 kW (49 horsepower) electric motor, which is responsible for driving the vehicle.
Thanks to this, the car can run up to 75% of the time on electric motor power alone in urban areas where speeds are below 50 km/h, which make up a large portion of daily driving. In other words, during weekday rush hours when traffic is heavy and distances are not very long, the car can run mostly in electric mode without waking the engine. The city fuel efficiency (17.5 km per liter) is even higher than the highway official fuel efficiency (17.3 km per liter). On highways, it is possible to drive solely on the electric motor up to speeds of 160 km/h under the right conditions.
The clutchless multi-mode automatic transmission is also one of the distinctive features of the XM3 E-Tech Hybrid. It has a unique 2+4 gear structure. Two gears manage the electric motor’s rotational force, while four gears handle the engine’s RPM. This allows the transmission mode to be automatically selected to optimize fuel efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions depending on driving conditions. By appropriately balancing the output between the engine and electric motor, high fuel efficiency is achieved. Renault Korea is holding an event until the 16th of next month, where customers who test drive this car for more than 5 km at a Renault Korea showroom and verify their fuel efficiency on Instagram will be entered into a draw to win various prizes.