When we talk about competition, we normally think about speed and high performance. However, there are other types of tests that can be exciting, while looking for efficiency. Related to regularity rallies, the Ecomotion Tour 2024 It is presented as an initiative to reduce the consumption of a handful of vehicles with different technologies and from different brands. The Ayvens competition par excellence only has one purpose: consume as little energy as possible.
It is the fifteenth edition of this Ecomotion Tour that historically had been done by ALD Automotive. Now that they are part of Ayvens, after joining Leaseplan for the renting throne, they wanted to make this test an even bigger event. That is why no less than 22 manufacturers have been present to bring together a total of 31 vehicles in the competition. All divided into various categories and covering sections that passed through the provinces of Madrid, Guadalajara and Cuenca.
Everything was divided into three main categories, all of them with some level of electrification. The cars were divided between hybrids (also MHEV), hybrids plug-in and electric. The last group was the largest, since the brands’ recent launches are also focusing there. In fact, Our mount was a Fiat 600e, a model that we had already tested, and which has the latest Stellantis electric propulsion system. So, what better company to evaluate it on the Ecomotion Tour than Paula Masclans, director of e-Mobility and 2STM at Stallantis.
We began our itinerary of almost 400 kilometers with just a route meter, which would be our Bible from then on, and a great desire to consume as little as possible. The first moments were about getting used to the navigation and trying not to get lost, but over time we got used to it and began to bring out the efficiency of the car. The 600e in Eco mode and driven with care pleasantly surprised us. According to the score, we end up with averages close to 10 kWhwell below the approved one.
The first day we took away all the efficiency part with a consumption that we thought was very low and with a few drops of sweat shed in order not to add the additional consumption of air conditioning. The second day regularity was added to the Ecomotion Tour and we worked hard to nail the times and pass each milestone in the established second, always setting the average speed. It was an equally demanding exercise, in both days concentration and patience were allies when having to search adjust both consumption and times.
Finally the results arrived and we were not blessed with any prize, but with the surprise of what other companions and their mounts were able to do. In the hybrid category, the first position went to the Citroën C5 Aircross with a consumption of 4.19 l/100km, which was good for reduce the approval by 18%. Among the plug-in hybrids, the DS 7 stood out with a total consumption of 13.70 kWh of electrical energy and 10.83 liters of gasoline over the entire journey. Among the electric ones, the MG 4 beat us with its 14.49 kWh/100km, which reduces its WLTP approval by 13%.
