OMODA 9 SHS: The Hybrid That Promises Everything at Once
With the 9 SHS, OMODA has built a plug-in hybrid that looks unstoppable on paper—but whether this technological showpiece delivers beyond the brochure remains an open question.
OMODA is touting its new Super Hybrid System as the pinnacle of automotive technology: 537 horsepower, a theoretical range of 1,100 kilometres, and a parade of innovations that reads more like an engineer’s résumé than a realistic ownership experience.
The OMODA 9 SHS, from Chery’s global brand, is a massive plug-in hybrid aimed squarely at the European market. On paper, it delivers the best of both worlds—EV silence and punch with the endurance of a petrol engine. The numbers are seductive: 395 kW (537 hp), 0–100 km/h in 4.9 seconds, up to 145 kilometres of pure-electric driving, and a claimed total range exceeding 1,100 kilometres. To enthusiasts, it sounds like a dream machine.
Technically, it’s a complex affair: three electric motors paired with a combustion engine, all managed through Chery’s 3DHT three-speed hybrid transmission. The system is backed by a sizeable 34 kWh battery—more akin to a small EV than a conventional hybrid—plus a 70-litre fuel tank. The result is likely to be substantial weight and intricacy, though the press release prefers to dwell on efficiency milestones.
Fuel consumption claims are suitably optimistic: 1.4 l/100 km under WLTP testing and 7 l/100 km once the battery is depleted. Yet given the well-documented shortcomings of WLTP when applied to plug-in hybrids, real-world drivers should expect significantly higher figures, particularly if the car isn’t charged daily.
OMODA frames the SHS as the dawn of a new era, boasting a dizzying array of drive modes—electric, series hybrid, parallel hybrid, regenerative and countless combinations. For consumers, however, the key question is whether the system can transition smoothly, without the clunky gear changes and driveline hesitations that have plagued past complex hybrids. Technology that dazzles on paper often stumbles in daily use.
To reassure wary buyers, OMODA stresses the safety credentials of its CATL M3P battery pack: triple-layer protection, IP68 certification, even resistance to 10 tonnes of pressure. The description reads more like a military vehicle spec sheet than a family SUV brochure, but it reflects consumer concerns about EV fire safety.
In the end, the OMODA 9 SHS feels more like a technological showcase than a balanced, road-ready SUV. If its ambitious promises hold true in real-world use, it could be a rare standout among hybrids. But history suggests that when complexity meets superlatives, the daily reality seldom shines quite as brightly as the press release.
