Farewell to Large-Displacement Engines

At some point, automakers have become increasingly reluctant to equip vehicles with large-displacement engines. Even many D-segment cars now use 2.0T engines. With the advancement of "carbon neutrality," large-displacement engines seem to be inching closer to their final goodbye. Recently, foreign media reported that General Motors has discontinued its most powerful 6.2L supercharged V8 engine ever, which was used in the 2019 Corvette C7 ZR1 and exclusively served the Corvette lineup. With a maximum power of 563kW, this mighty engine has now officially bid farewell.

In reality, the power output of large-displacement engines is not necessarily higher than that of smaller-displacement turbocharged engines. However, the effortless power delivery of large-displacement engines is irreplaceable by turbocharged ones – a reason why automotive enthusiasts often get excited when talking about large-displacement models. Yet, this era is no longer meant for large-displacement engines.

More notably, the gradual decline of large-displacement engines may reflect a broader trend toward the demise of internal combustion engines (ICEs). A powertrain engineer from a well-known domestic brand told Daoge Auto Review that engine development has nearly hit a ceiling. Parameters like thermal efficiency have become hard to improve. Amid the rise of new energy vehicles, only small-displacement engines may survive, and they might even become auxiliary power sources for extended-range electric vehicles and hybrid cars in the future.

Downsizing: The Era of Large Displacements Is Gone Forever

For decades, large-displacement engines were a key symbol of supremacy for ultra-luxury models. However, in recent years, numerous ultra-luxury vehicles with large-displacement engines have exited the stage:

• In mid-2020, Bentley officially discontinued its 6.75L V8 engine after a 61-year legacy, releasing the Mulsanne 6.75 Edition to commemorate it.
• In 2018, Audi launched the final A8 with a 6.0T W12 engine; the current A8L now exclusively uses a 3.0T + 48V mild hybrid system.
• Combined with GM’s discontinuation of its 6.2L supercharged V8, countless large-displacement engines and their host models have vanished.

The shift to small-displacement engines isn’t limited to ultra-luxury models – it has spread to mainstream luxury, premium, and even ordinary vehicles. From the Mercedes-Benz GLB with a 1.3T engine to the Nissan X-Trail with a 1.5T three-cylinder engine, countless models have embraced small displacements. Even 2.0T engines now appear in many D-segment cars, making 2.0T seem like the "large displacement" in today’s market.

In fact, small-displacement models have clear advantages over their large-displacement counterparts:

• Lower costs: Large-displacement powertrains are structurally complex, increasing design and manufacturing costs. For consumers, this translates to higher purchase prices, along with higher fuel consumption and maintenance costs – reasons why large-displacement models remain niche "toys for enthusiasts."
• Regulatory pressures: Under the "carbon neutrality" vision, emission regulations have grown stricter, while China’s dual-credit policy adds headaches for automakers. Coupled with the rise of new energy vehicles, large-displacement models struggle to achieve high sales or profitability, making their abandonment inevitable.

Will Engines End Up as Auxiliary Power Sources?

As large-displacement engines fade, small-displacement ones may not retain their current status. Data shows that in August, new energy passenger vehicle sales reached 307,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 206.5% – including 251,000 pure electric vehicles (+214.8%) and 56,000 plug-in hybrids (+173.8%). The penetration rate hit a record 19.8%, signaling that new energy vehicles are challenging the dominance of ICEs.

Of course, fuel-powered vehicles still hold a huge market share, and their exit won’t happen overnight. However, engine development has seemingly hit a wall. The aforementioned engineer noted that automotive engine thermal efficiency has plateaued at around 40%, with little room for improvement. Against the rapid growth of new energy vehicles, investing in traditional ICE research has become less necessary.

Many automakers have already paused fuel vehicle or engine development: Volkswagen announced it would stop developing new fuel models after 2026; Honda halted new diesel engine projects; and rumors swirled in Q1 this year that Audi would end gasoline and diesel engine R&D.

Does this mean engines are disappearing entirely? The engineer suggested that only small-displacement engines may survive – as auxiliary power sources for extended-range or hybrid vehicles. This trend is already taking shape:

• Li Auto’s 1.2T three-cylinder range extender in the Li ONE has driven months of strong sales.
• BYD’s Xiaoyun 1.5L high-efficiency plug-in hybrid engine, used in DM-i models, has made its hybrids highly sought-after.

It seems the once-dominant engine may soon become a supporting player.

As history marches forward, the ICE – which has powered over a century of automotive progress – may exit the stage, much like the steam engines of ships past. For consumers and the industry, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Yet, the nostalgic roar of large-displacement engines may soon be confined to documentaries.