The Choice of Engine Specification

The choice of engine specification needs to be closely tailored to the usage scenario. The core needs of urban family cars are flexibility and fuel efficiency. Engines with 1.0-1.5L displacement and 70-110kW power are sufficient for daily commuting, with fuel consumption as low as 5-7L/100km under congested road conditions and low maintenance costs.

Commercial vehicles rely on a combination of “high torque + high endurance” specifications. Freight trucks are often equipped with engines with a displacement of 3.0L or more and a torque of 400-600N・m, which can output strong power at low speeds to ensure continuous power when climbing a slope with heavy loads. Engineering vehicles, such as excavators, require specially tuned large-displacement engines to adapt to high-load, long-duration operating conditions.

off-road vehicle models focus on torque output range, 2.0T or more displacement with more than 350N・m torque, and stable output in the 1500-4000 rpm range, in order to cope with mud, steep slopes and other complex terrain. Racing cars, on the other hand, pursue the ultimate power density, with the 1.6T engine strengthened to produce more than 300kW of power, and a thrust-to-weight ratio far exceeding that of ordinary cars, to meet the demand for short-distance explosive acceleration.

Small-displacement engines have significant economic advantages. Calculated by annual driving 15,000 kilometers, 1.5L models than 2.5L models can save 200-400L of fuel, equivalent cost of more than a thousand dollars. However, the displacement is not the smaller the better, when fully loaded, small-displacement engine may be due to lack of power frequently pull the high speed, but increased fuel consumption. Emission regulations are pushing the specification to “high-efficiency and low-emission” transformation.

After the implementation of the National Sixth Standard, large-displacement naturally aspirated engines are gradually being replaced by “small-displacement + turbo + hybrid” combinations. For example, the 1.5T+48V light hybrid system, with a power of 130kW, reduces carbon emissions by 15% compared to conventional models with the same power, balancing power and environmental protection.

Regular maintenance and specification matching also affect long-term economy. Large-displacement engine oil consumption is more, maintenance costs are slightly higher, but reasonable use of longer life; small-displacement engine if the long-term overload operation, the failure rate will rise significantly, but increased maintenance expenditure.

Technological innovations continue to reshape the possibilities of engine specifications. Direct injection technology increases the power of the 2.0L engine by 20%, reaching the level of the traditional 2.4L model; the variable valve timing system realizes “one type, many functions”, and the torque of the 1.8L engine is close to that of the 2.0L at low speeds, while the fuel consumption is comparable to that of the 1.6L at high speeds.

Turbo technology breaks the inherent perception that “displacement determines power”. 2.0T engine can produce the power of a 3.0L naturally aspirated model with a smaller displacement. Turbocharging technology breaks the stereotype of “displacement determines power”. 2.0T engine can output the power of 3.0L naturally-aspirated model with smaller displacement and lighter weight, which helps to reduce the energy consumption of the whole vehicle. The twin-turbocharging and electric turbo technologies further optimize the power response and allow a wider range of high torque output.

The integration of new energy technologies with traditional engines has become a new trend. The engines of plug-in hybrid models mostly use the Atkinson cycle, with a thermal efficiency of over 40%, generating electricity efficiently at high cruising speeds and being driven by electric motors at low speeds, so that the engine always works in the optimal specification range.

users choose engine specifications according to their needs when shopping, and give priority to the “small displacement + CVT” combination for daily commuting, such as 1.5L with CVT transmission, which has smooth power and low fuel consumption, and is suitable for urban road conditions. For family users with occasional long-distance or full-load needs, 1.8L or 2.0L naturally aspirated models are more secure, with sufficient power reserves and easy maintenance.

When choosing, you should also refer to the real use of feedback, the same specification engine performance varies greatly due to different tuning. You can feel the power response through test driving: focus on low-speed torque for city driving and power reserve for high-speed driving, so as to determine whether the engine specification is in line with your driving habits. The selection of engine specifications is essentially to find the optimal solution between scenarios, cost and experience, and technological advances have made this balance more possible.