Changan has unveiled a hybrid trim of the CS55 Plus crossover SUV. Credit: Changan Understand China EV’s Market Real-time notifications when critical EV data is released All important data in one place 2,000,000+ data points Become a member Changan has unveiled the upcoming CS55 Plus, now refreshed with a self-charging hybrid (HEV) variant of the firm’s BlueCore powertrain. Its 1.5 litre turbo petrol engine utilises 500bar direct injection and achieves a peak thermal efficiency of 44.28% The compact SUV will launch in China on August 18. While Changan hasn’t released pricing information, the CS55 Plus’s current combustion lineup retails for 92,900 – 109,900 yuan (13,800 – 16,300 USD) in its domestic market. What’s new underneath The biggest change seen in the CS55 Plus’s refresh is the addition of Changan’s BlueCore hybrid powertrain. The automaker claims that its HEV tech can reduce SUVs’ urban fuel consumption to 3 L/100 km (78.4 MPG US). Changan’s BlueCore HEV system. Credit: Sohu Changan previously claimed that its 500bar “ultra-high-pressure” direct injection system was a “world-first” achievement, enabling the combustion engine to reach a peak thermal efficiency of 44.28%. Average thermal efficiency, though, is lower at 40.9%. The 1.5-litre turbo engine, rated for 110 kW (148 hp), has a compression ratio of 16:1 and achieves an exhaust gas re-circulation rate of 30%. Changan says these tweaks and optimizations help reduce noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH). On the electrical side, the HEV system is equipped with a 1.7 kWh ternary lithium-ion battery from Sunwoda, capable of a 50C discharge rate. It feeds a 180 kW (241 hp) front motor with a rated electrical efficiency of 98.1%. While Changan hasn’t released fuel consumption figures for the CS55 Plus HEV, the same system allows the firm’s CS75 Plus midsize SUV to achieve 3.54 L/100 km (66.5 MPG US) in urban driving, and a combined consumption figure of 4.67 L/100 km (50.4 MPG US). What’s new on the outside The front and rear of the CS55 Plus HEV. Credit: Changan The refreshed CS55 Plus gets a new front fascia, moving from a hexagonal theme on the ICE trims to a V-shaped, straked grille design. The SUV gets new wheels too, now aero-optimised with low-drag enclosed spokes. The CS55 Plus HEV. The rear of the Plus remains largely unchanged, though. The “Plus” badging seen on combustion trims has been replaced with a blue “HEV” badge, indicating its new hybrid status. As a self-charging hybrid, the SUV doesn’t have a dedicated charging port and only has a single fuel door at the rear-left. The interior of the CS55 Plus HEV. More on the CS55 PLUS According to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the CS55 Plus HEV measures 4,550 in length, 1,868 in width, and 1,675mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,656 mm. It features front McPherson struts and rear multi-link suspension. China EV DataTracker shows that Changan delivered 2,647 CS55 Plus units domestically in June 2026. Apart from a brief peak of 7,000+ units in March 2026, the SUV has been seeing middling sales figures. The arrival of an HEV option may be the key to increasing the CS55 Plus’s desirability. Source: Changan Most important news in your inbox. Recaps · scheduled All you need, in one email. Instant alerts · real-time Ping me when an article goes live. 0 of 27 topics selected Bundle into one email per day — instead of one email per article No spam · Unsubscribe with one click · Change settings anytime