On June 24 and 26, Great Wall Motors held two “Hi4 Talk” sessions to once again comprehensively analyze Hi4 technology.
Build five major technical systems
Hi4 is an intelligent four-wheel drive electric hybrid technology independently developed by Great Wall Motors, with “H” for hybrid, “i” for intelligent, and “4” for 4WD (four-wheel drive).
This technical system is guided by the diverse needs of users and supports a three-engine and nine-mode drive system, covering nine modes such as pure electric two-wheel drive, pure four-wheel drive, series mode, parallel two-wheel drive, parallel four-wheel drive, and parallel four-wheel drive, which can flexibly respond to scenarios such as urban commuting, high-speed cruising, rain and snow road conditions.
Image source: Great Wall Motor
For different models and car scenarios, five technical forms have been formed: Hi4, Hi4 performance version, Hi4-Z, Hi4-T and Hi4-G, which are suitable for the main family car, medium and large car, pan-off-road vehicle, strong off-road vehicle and heavy truck market.
The standard version of the Hi4 uses a 2-speed DHT (dedicated hybrid transmission) and is equipped with a decoupling four-wheel drive system based on a load-bearing body platform. In daily commuting, it can achieve pure electric two-wheel drive or series range extension mode with 0 fuel consumption to ensure silence and energy saving.
The Hi4 performance version has been upgraded to a 4-speed DHT structure, so that the engine can enter direct drive mode from the start, the power output is more direct, the efficiency is higher, and even in the extreme case of battery depletion or high-voltage system failure, it can ensure full-speed driving in the full speed range.
The Hi4-Z integrates power shunt and 3-speed front-wheel drive module, taking into account power generation and driving efficiency, and is equipped with a 59.05kWh large-capacity battery pack, with a pure electric range of more than 200 kilometers under WLTC conditions, suitable for urban and light off-road scenarios.
Image source: Great Wall Motor
The Hi4-T adopts a single-motor parallel architecture, with a 2.0T/3.0T engine + 9HAT gearbox, and a non-load-bearing + non-decoupling four-wheel drive architecture, with a pure electric range of more than 100 kilometers. The architecture is designed for extreme off-road, with a wheel-end torque of up to 24,000N·m and a fast response of 30 milliseconds for the electric drive system. With a powerful speed ratio amplification structure, it can effectively get out of trouble even under the extreme working conditions of single-wheel landing.
The Hi4-G is specially designed for the field of heavy-duty trucks, demonstrating Great Wall Motor’s technical reserves in the electrification of commercial vehicles.
This refined technical layout makes Hi4 no longer a single technical concept, but a technology ecosystem that can cover all scenarios from urban commuting to extreme off-road.
Another highlight of Hi4 technology is the iTVC intelligent torque vectoring system. The system monitors road surface changes in real time through a multi-source perception module, accurately adjusts the torque distribution of the four wheels, and effectively reduces the risk of side slip and loss of control. For example, in rainy and snowy road conditions, the Hi4 significantly improves vehicle stability by dynamically adjusting the torque of the front and rear axles.
In addition, the Hi4 model generally adopts a 50:50 golden axle load distribution design to optimize handling, make the steering response more responsive, and have a higher cornering limit, bringing users a safer and more relaxed driving experience.
Deep purpose: to redefine the value of four-wheel drive
The original intention of Hi4 technology is to break the traditional limitations of high cost and high fuel consumption of four-wheel drive vehicles through technological innovation, and promote the popularization of four-wheel drive technology.
Wu Huixiao, CTO of Great Wall Motor, said at the hi chat meeting, “Four-wheel drive vehicles account for only 5% of the main cars used by Chinese families, and cost is the main constraint. The Hi4 reduces costs with a dual-motor architecture, which not only sets the price of four-wheel drive, but also sets the fuel consumption of four-wheel drive. ”
Image source: Great Wall Motor
For example, the Haval Thunder MAX is equipped with the Hi4 standard version, with a WLTC comprehensive fuel consumption as low as 0.97L/100km and an acceleration of 6 seconds per 100 kilometers; Weipai’s new Blue Mountain is equipped with the Hi4 performance version, with a comprehensive range of 1343km and a pure electric range of 220km; The Tank 500 Hi4-Z achieves a CLTC pure electric range of 240km, a charge of 15 minutes to replenish 120km, and a comprehensive torque of 1195N·m; The Tank 700 Hi4-T is designed with a 3.0T engine, a 37.1kWh off-road battery and three locks to cope with extreme off-road scenarios.
In Great Wall Motors’ view, the significance of the popularization of four-wheel drive technology is far more than the market level. With the acceleration of urbanization in China, there are more and more complex scenarios such as underground garages, elevated ramps, and three-dimensional parking lots in cities, which put forward higher requirements for vehicle handling and safety.
At the same time, with the improvement of people’s living standards and the rise of self-driving travel culture, more and more users have begun to pursue “poetry and distance”, which also means that vehicles need to perform well in more complex outdoor environments.
Image source: Great Wall Motor
In this context, the value of four-wheel drive technology is being re-examined. Compared with the traditional mechanical four-wheel drive system, Hi4 technology not only has faster response speed and higher control accuracy, but also can adjust the torque distribution of the front and rear axles in real time under complex road conditions, significantly improving the vehicle’s handling stability and driving safety.
In the 2025 Tour of the Tower Rally, the Tank 300 Hi4-T, Tank 400 Hi4-T, and Tank 500 Hi4-Z won the mass production of the T2.E with continuous power output and reliable battery protectionNew energyThe group championship verified the hard core strength of the Hi4-T in extreme off-road scenarios.
Wu Huixiao said that Great Wall Motors participated in the Tour of the Tower Rally in order to use the arena as a testing ground and continue to improve and grow in the event.
She also emphasized, “The value of four-wheel drive lies in the higher control ceiling and safety in complex scenarios. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the death rate from two-wheel drive accidents is nearly twice that of four-wheel drive vehicles. Through intelligent torque distribution and multi-mode drive, Hi4 significantly improves safety in rainy and snowy weather, high-speed turning, basement ramps and other scenarios.
At the same time, its low fuel consumption characteristics make the daily use cost of four-wheel drive vehicles close to that of two-wheel drive vehicles, for example, the Hi4 standard version can achieve a pure electric travel cost of 4 minutes per kilometer in urban commuting, and even if it is not charged, the fuel consumption is only about 0.2 yuan per kilometer.
Wang Chao, deputy general manager of Great Wall Motor Technology Center, said, “If the range extension technology is a washing machine with ‘washing + throwing’ function, then Hi4 is a washing machine with ‘washing + throwing + drying’, with more comprehensive functions and a richer user experience.” ”
From the perspective of industrial development, the application of Hi4 technology is expected to drive the development of the entire four-wheel drive technology supply chain and promote the cost reduction and performance improvement of related technologies. With the continuous maturity and large-scale application of technology, the intelligent four-wheel drive electric hybrid system is expected to become the standard configuration of mid-to-high-end models, thereby changing the product structure of China’s auto market.
