In the new energy vehicle technology path, we often focus on PHEV and REEV, but we rarely hear about the exploration of diesel engines in this field. Diesel engines have always performed well in the era of gasoline vehicles, especially in large models, and their fuel economy has always been unattainable by gasoline engines. However, why in the new energy era, we rarely see diesel engines?
On the one hand, technological progress is a factor that cannot be ignored. In the past 20 years, China's automobile market has been dominated by small-displacement gasoline engines, and the corresponding technology research and development and production lines have also been mainly carried out in this direction. In comparison, the technical reserve of diesel engines is relatively small. With the accumulation of successful experience in small-displacement gasoline engines, enterprises are more willing to deepen their cultivation in this field, while the research and development of diesel engines is technically difficult and relatively costly.
Market acceptance is also one of the reasons why diesel engines have failed to attract attention in new energy vehicles. Diesel engines have not been popular in the market in the past, and they are considered noisy, polluting, and have a tractor-like driving experience. This negative impression makes consumers wary of diesel vehicles. Gasoline vehicles have long dominated the Chinese market, and companies are more inclined to improve in this area rather than taking the risk of experimenting with the development and production of diesel hybrid technology.
The technical level of diesel engines is relatively high, and its extreme performance is remarkable. However, the use of diesel engines in PHEV and REEV technology requires addressing a range of issues such as technology, cost, diesel labeling**, and emissions. Compared with small-displacement gasoline engines, diesel engines are more expensive to develop and adapt, and the market has not formed a strong demand for diesel hybrid technology.
Despite the advantages of diesel engines in power generation efficiency, Chinese auto companies seem to be more inclined to choose small-displacement gasoline engines as the power of PHEVs and REEVs in the development of new energy vehicles**. Although the power generation efficiency of gasoline engine is slightly lower than that of diesel engine, it is more controllable in terms of technology and cost, which is more in line with the development trend of the current technical route.
The application of diesel engines is also constrained by the domestic market. In China, diesel vehicles have not been the mainstream choice, and their market share is relatively small. In the past, diesel fuel was limited, and domestic users' perception of diesel engines was still stuck in the traditional concept of high noise and heavy pollution. Therefore, to promote the development of diesel hybrid technology, in addition to technical issues, it is also necessary to change the market's bias against diesel vehicles and improve consumer acceptance.
Although diesel engines have the advantages of high efficiency and fuel economy, the current mainstream development direction of China's automotive market has shifted to electrification. With the rapid popularization of electric vehicles, the internal combustion engine may gradually retire from the stage of history in the future transportation system. Therefore, whether to overcome the barriers of diesel engines has become a highly controversial issue.
In the future transportation system, EVs (electric vehicles) have become the dominant force, and internal combustion engine technology is gradually marginalized. Under this trend, whether it is worth investing heavily to overcome the technical barriers of diesel engines has become a matter that needs to be carefully weighed.
In general, although diesel engines perform well in internal combustion engine technology, their application faces both technical and market challenges on the road to new energy vehicle technology. At present, Chinese auto companies are more willing to conduct in-depth research and development in the field of small-displacement gasoline engines, while the application of diesel engines in new energy vehicles may require more time and effort.
In the future, with the continuous development of technology and changes in the market, diesel engines may find their own development path and become a part of new energy vehicle technology.