The second one went: the Russian hybrid became all-wheel drive
The abnormal snowfalls that took place at the end of winter showed the need for four-wheel drive in our climate, especially for a fairly heavy hybrid. Although the front-wheel drive Evolve i-Space is quite capable of successfully overcoming snow porridge and small snowdrifts, the appearance of its modification with all-wheel drive can only be welcomed. In addition, the car has undergone important improvements. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.
Evolve i-Space 4x4: what has changed
The all-wheel drive for the i-Space crossover was recently added by the technological partner of the Evolute brand at the suggestion of the Russian side. It is generally believed that if there is a multi-link at the back, then it is relatively easy to add all-wheel drive to the car. This is true for cars with rear wheels connected by a multi—disc clutch, which is a fairly compact unit. It took a lot more effort to retrofit the i-Space with a second electric motor with a gearbox.
A total of five body colors are offered. White and black remained behind the scenes.
Firstly, the rear suspension has been completely redesigned, now it has a new subframe and small oblique levers instead of long longitudinal ones. Secondly, the shape of the trunk floor has changed. Therefore, the all—wheel drive "Space" can only be a five-seater - there is no room left for third-row seats. In addition, to weld the body of the new version at the factory in the Lipetsk region, it was necessary to refine the tooling. Thirdly, the volume of the fuel tank was reduced by 10 liters.
Evolve i-Space 4x4: power reserve and dynamics
This, coupled with the increased energy consumption due to the installation of a second electric motor, affected the range. If the claimed power reserve of a front—wheel drive car is 1,250 km, of which 165 km it drives on a battery charge, then an all—wheel drive car is 1,000 km, of which 124 km it drives on pure electric power.
The dimensions of the Evolve i-Space 4x4 have not changed: 4760×1865×1710 mm. Wheelbase — 2785 mm
At the same time, the stated average fuel consumption is the same 5.6 liters per 100 km. Only now the owner's manual recommends not 92nd gasoline, but 95th.
The front-wheel drive i-Space got off to a good start, but the wheels slipped on the slippery surface. The four-wheel drive car has better traction, with two electric motors producing an impressive 376 hp and 470 Nm at their peak. At the same time, the transport tax will have to be paid only for 159 hp, since 30 minutes of power is used for its calculation, and it is significantly less.
The declared ground clearance is 180 mm.
Despite the fact that the car has gained up to 2 tons, the acceleration is impressive. The claimed acceleration from zero to "hundreds" is 7.1 seconds, 0.7 seconds faster than the front—wheel drive version. It feels like the difference is much more significant. In the mass segment, perhaps, no car yet offers such acceleration dynamics. But as soon as the battery charge drops below 20%, the speed drops noticeably.
Evolve i-Space 4x4: charging has become faster
To be honest, I had doubts about the efficiency of charging on the go: energy consumption increased with the advent of the second electric motor, and the internal combustion engine, acting as a generator, developed 90 hp. However, thanks to the new firmware, the process of charging traction batteries has improved. Now you can safely drive in the "smart" mode of the hybrid installation, without being afraid to "drain" the battery quickly. In fuel priority mode, the battery is replenished before our eyes, especially if you check the box next to the forced charging mode. But this is with a calm, measured movement. When driving for a long time at speeds over 100 km/h, the battery does not charge as efficiently, and this is a problem with most sequential hybrids.
The interior can be brown or black.
The test takes place in the mountains of Adygea, where recovery comes to the fore. In the Evolve i-Space 4x4, it comes from two engines — with a sharp deceleration and on steep descents, its efficiency in the maximum mode exceeds 90% (the figure is displayed in the corner of the dashboard). However, even a weak level of recovery, which is convenient to use on a straight road, began to return more energy.
In addition to the new firmware, the Evolve i-Space has the ability to charge from fast charging stations via the CCS2 connector. The maximum that i-Space can accept from the EHS is 40 kW. It is stated that the battery charge from 30 to 80% will take only 20 minutes.
Due to the fact that the battery charging process has been simplified, it is possible to actively use its reserve in order to save fuel and increase the power reserve. The average gasoline consumption does decrease, for example, if you use the "smart" mode, to 6.3 liters per 100 km, which is close to the figures stated by the manufacturer. On the highway in forced fuel mode and when driving over 100 km/h, it reaches 8.5 liters per "hundred".
Evolve I-Space 4x4: how it rides
With the new rear suspension and the changed weight distribution, the swinging of the stern on the waves has almost disappeared and handling has noticeably improved. The rear—axle drive added confidence on slippery roads and off asphalt - the rear wheels rotate constantly, and 190 Nm of torque is immediately available. Under normal conditions, thrust is distributed in a 60:40 ratio, and in special snow conditions, it is evenly distributed between the axles. This allows you to drive along the country lane in a rally style.
The hybrid accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 7.1 seconds. The maximum speed is 180 km/h.
You don't expect off-road feats from the Space, but it overcomes diagonal hanging relatively easily. However, during off-road adventures, it is necessary to monitor the battery charge: at low speeds, i-Space moves exclusively on electricity, without using an internal combustion engine. If the battery charge drops below 15% of the charge, the rear motor will turn off to save money. The Russian office is currently working on a conditional off-road mode in which the internal combustion engine will maintain battery charge at low speeds.
Externally, an all-wheel drive car cannot be distinguished from a front-wheel drive one, and the interior has not changed either. At the same time, the efficiency of the stove in the cold has increased, and the multimedia system now supports Apple CarPlay. I would also like to do something with the left steering lever - the algorithm of operation of non—lockable turn signals is completely unclear. You try to turn off the left one, and turn on the right one.
Evolve i-Space 4x4: differences and price
All-wheel drive i-Space is more expensive than a front-wheel drive 5-seater by 300 thousand rubles, and a 7-seater by 200 thousand rubles. Thanks to the "electric vehicle" subsidy, when buying on credit, the price still turns out to be below 3 million rubles, and various special conditions further lower the price tag.
The stated average fuel consumption is 5.6 liters per 100 km.
This is not the most affordable all-wheel drive car on the Russian market, but crossovers that are close in price are not even close to being comparable to the i-Space, both in terms of trunk volume and second-row space, as well as acceleration dynamics.
So far, the machines are assembled using the large-scale method, but preparations are already underway at the plant in the Lipetsk region for the production of this model with welding and painting.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
