The Geely Emgrand i-HEV sedan is about to launch with not one record efficiency figure, but two.

Geely claims the Emgrand i-HEV sets a record for thermal efficiency, a measure of how effectively it turns fuel into energy, rather than losing it to heat.

According to Geely’s calculations, the new hybrid system has a thermal efficiency of 48.41 per cent. In the Chinese fight for technological superiority, thermal efficiency is now a key recognisable metric.

Geely’s latest claim surpasses Dongfeng’s claimed 48.09 per cent for its 1.5-litre turbo revealed in December 2025, and beats Geely’s own 46.5 per cent claim for Chinese market versions of the Starray EM-i, known as the Starship 7.

The Emgrand i-HEV sedan uses a development of the Starship 7’s 11-in-1 hybrid drive system, with a dual-motor powertrain that Geely claims delivers up to 230kW on electric power alone, compared to the 100kW electric peak from a Toyota Camry hybrid, or 135kW from the electric drive side of the Honda Accord hybrid.

The hybrid system can operate in pure electric, hybrid parallel, or direct drive modes, depending on driving conditions.

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Geely also claims its new hybrid sedan sets a new fuel efficiency record, based on WLTC testing protocols, resulting in highway cycle fuel consumption as low as 2.22L/100km, 12 per cent more efficient than a Toyota Prius under similar conditions.

Mixed-cycle fuel consumption is rated at 3.83L/100km. By comparison, the Camry and Accord are rated 4.0L/100km and 4.3L/100km in Australian mixed-cycle testing.

The Emgrand hybrid uses an AI-powered drive control system to adapt to changes in temperature, humidity, altitude, and road gradient in real time. Geely says the electric drive system can power the vehicle in up to 80 per cent of driving situations, some 27 per cent higher than comparable hybrid drivetrains.

The Emgrand i-HEV hybrid will go on sale in China later this month, joining the 1.5-litre turbo patrol already on sale. In April this year, Geely displayed an earlier version of the plug-in hybrid Emgrand at the Melbourne Motor Show to gauge public reaction, but the model is yet to be confirmed for Australia.