Chinese automotive giant Geely is taking a major step toward alternative fuels by expanding its Emgrand L EM-i sedan lineup, also known in the domestic market as the Geely Galaxy Starshine 6, with a newly launched methanol version bearing the EF designation. The price list for the innovative model starts at an attractive 76,800 yuan (approximately 10,200 euros) with temporary promotional discounts, while the standard prices without reductions range between 86,800 and 106,800 yuan (around 11,500 – 14,200 euros). In terms of dimensions, the new modification measures 4,806 millimeters in length, 1,886 millimeters in width and 1,490 millimeters in height, with a substantial wheelbase of 2,756 millimeters.
The technological heart of the vehicle is an advanced 1.5-liter four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine producing 125 horsepower, featuring direct fuel injection at a pressure of 350 bar and a high-efficiency ignition system with an energy output of 120 millijoules. Thanks to these engineering solutions, the power unit is fully adapted for trouble-free starting and operation even at extreme winter temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius. An impressive achievement by the engineers is the engine’s thermal efficiency, which reaches a record 48.15 percent, while its main advantage is the flexibility to operate on both conventional gasoline and methanol, or pure methyl alcohol. To support the mass adoption of this technology, the company has already established a dedicated infrastructure of 1,400 methanol filling stations across China.
The powertrain is complemented by a powerful electric motor with a peak output of 140 kilowatts, equivalent to 188 horsepower, which transfers torque to the wheels through an advanced single-speed dual-clutch transmission. Customers can choose between two lithium iron phosphate battery capacities – 17 and 28.3 kilowatt-hours, respectively, while the combination of the fuel system and battery provides an impressive total range of up to 1,880 kilometers on a single charge.
The economic aspect of methanol propulsion is among the model’s strongest advantages, as average fuel consumption stands at 6.7 liters per 100 kilometers. With the market price of the alcohol-based fuel at around 2.9 yuan per liter (approximately 0.39 euros), the cost of covering the same distance is significantly reduced, allowing owners to save considerable amounts of money over the long term.
Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol or wood alcohol, is a chemical compound representing the simplest alcohol, which is also considerably cheaper to produce and synthesize. Methanol gets its name of wood alcohol because it was obtained through the dry distillation of wood, but it is now mainly produced synthetically, with the chlorine in methyl chloride being replaced by a hydroxyl group when it is boiled with a sodium hydroxide solution, thus forming methanol.