After it almost became extinct, extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) technology is undergoing a resurgence, and not only in the shape of recent models from automakers including Ford, Mazda, Ram, Genesis, BYD, Deepal and Leapmotor.
No less than two powertrain suppliers recently revealed recent EREV systems that could be retrofitted to existing battery-electric vehicles (EVs), effectively turning EVs into hybrids and eliminating one in every of the largest handbrakes on widespread EV adoption: range anxiety.
Horse Powertrain, a three way partnership between Renault and Geely, used last month’s Shanghai motor show to disclose its Future Hybrid Concept, a compact hybrid powertrain designed for applications in existing EV platforms.
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The system integrates an internal combustion engine (ICE), electric motor, and transmission right into a single unit that may replace the electrical drive system in EVs with minimal modifications, allowing automakers to supply hybrid powertrain options for existing EVs without major engineering investment.
Horse’s Future Hybrid Concept relies around a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, which operates exclusively as a generator to recharge the vehicle’s existing battery, switching on only when battery charge levels are low or driving conditions demand additional power.
The corporate says the super-compact EREV system can increase total driving range to 800km, or about 25 per cent greater than the 600km offered by today’s most effective EVs.
Horse claims a 25-litre fuel tank is sufficient for several weeks of typical urban driving, when the ICE largely stays switched off since most day by day commutes happen in EV-only mode. And naturally it will possibly simply be refilled slightly than recharged if required.
Designed for transverse powertrain applications, Horse’s EREV system includes an 800V booster allowing fast DC charging, a transmission and driveshafts enabling all-wheel drive operation in each EV and parallel power modes, an inverter, DC/DC converter, on-board charger and electronic power controller.
It has a ‘slimline’ top and a wider profile at the underside, to assist ensure compliance with global safety and crash standards.
The Horse powertrain’s ICE can run on a wide selection of fuels including petrol, E85 ethanol, methanol, and artificial fuels, making it suitable for quite a lot of climates and markets – especially those with long distances between cities and where EV charging infrastructure stays in its infancy, corresponding to Australia.
As in most EREVs, the engine is calibrated to run consistently in its most effective rev range, which is claimed to contribute to as much as 40 per cent lower emissions than conventional hybrid powertrains.
“Horse Powertrain is concentrated on solving the largest problems facing automotive OEMs,” said CEO Matias Giannini.
“For over a decade it looked like BEVs were the one path to net zero, and OEMs planned accordingly. Nonetheless, we’re now shifting towards a technology-neutral world, with different markets and applications each pursuing their very own sustainable mobility journey.”
“The Future Hybrid Concept is designing as a single-piece combustion engine, motor, and transmission unit, reducing the complexity of a hybrid powertrain,” said Ragnar Burenius, the chief engineer of xHEV systems at Horse Powertrain.
“This permits more flexibility for its packaging, allowing for it to be integrated in existing BEV platforms with minimal modifications to the vehicle.”
Horse Powertrain, which has 17 manufacturing plants, five R&D centres and 19,000 employees globally, says it expects vehicles using the Future Hybrid Concept to hit the road by 2028.
Before then, the corporate will supply direct-injection ‘HR13’ 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engines for the 2026 Caterham Academy race series, producing 97kW of power and 176Nm of torque.
Horse’s EREV project is backed by several strategic partners, including Saudi energy giant Aramco, which hopes to speed up the event program ahead of its global deployment.
The corporate – which also produces mild-hybrid (MHEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains, in addition to manual and automatic transmissions, and even flex-fuel PHEV powertrains for marine applications – says it can supply auto brands including Renault, Geely, Volvo, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Proton.
Just days after Horse revealed its EREV powertrain in China, German automotive supply giant ZF announced it can begin production of an analogous range-extender powertrain next 12 months, dubbed the ZF eRE.
Two off-the-shelf versions of ZF’s range-extender system will likely be available – the electrical Range Extender (eRE) and the electrical Range Extender plus (eRE+) – each comprising a small petrol engine that produces between 70-100kW in the previous and 70-150kW within the latter.
The eRE combines an electrical motor and an integrated converter via a planetary gearset, while the eRE+ adds an “intelligent clutch and differential” that enables it for use either only as a generator or as a secondary drive unit.
ZF also sees a marketplace for would-be EV buyers apprehensive about driving range, and says EREVs are higher than PHEVs because they’re cheaper to supply, quicker to develop, require simpler supply chains and, per Horse’s system, can reduce fuel consumption and emissions by running at its most effective rpm for the reason that engine isn’t attached to the wheels.
“Although the all-electric range of passenger cars is around 500km on average, range anxiety still influences a wide selection of buyers when selecting their next vehicle,” said Dr Otmar Scharrer, senior vp of R&D at ZF’s Electrified Powertrain Technology unit.
“These represent an actual alternative to larger – and thus dearer – batteries or plug-in hybrids. The brand new interest and the increased demand for range-extenders shows that the potential of this technology is much from exhausted – particularly for model platforms which can be already designed for battery-electric drivelines.
“Behind our solutions is the system and platform concept. Because of this we’re optimally equipped to give you the option to reply to all customer and market requirements with shorter development cycles.”
Also often known as range-extender EVs, EREVs aren’t recent. Early examples included the relatively short-lived Holden Volt and BMW i3 REX, which were axed Down under in 2012 and 2021 respectively, in addition to the Fisker Karma and the rotary-powered Mazda MX-30 e-SkyActiv R-EV, neither of which were sold in Australia.
The Leapmotor C10 mid-size electric SUV, nonetheless, was recently made available with an ‘REEV’ powertrain option for $2000 lower than equivalent EV variants.
As demand for EVs wanes in major auto markets including the US, there are several other EREV powertrains on the horizon for models including the Mazda EZ-60/CX-6e large electric SUV, the Genesis GV70 mid-size luxury SUV, and BYD’s Yangwang U8 large luxury SUV.
Ford recently announced it can invest heavily in EREV powertrains for its mid-size and heavy-duty models amid slumping EV demand in North America, where Volkswagen-backed Scout Motors will offer range-extender powertrain options across its upcoming electric SUV and pickup range.
Ram will trump each brands with its Ramcharger, an extended-range pickup that would even be sold here. Ram Trucks Australia chief Jeff Barber recently told CarExpert the EREV, which employs a Pentastar V6 to increase its range, was “higher suited to our geography here” than the battery-electric Ram 1500 REV.
Nonetheless the primary EREV ute available in Australia could possibly be the Deepal Hunter K50 dual-cab, which uniquely combines front and rear electric motors with a front-mounted 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine to charge a 31.2kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery.
The Chinese carmaker, which can introduce the Deepal E07 ‘transformer’ electric SUV/ute here later this 12 months, claims the result’s combined fuel consumption of just 1.3L/100km and 900km of total driving range including 131km of electric-only range (CLTC).
That’s greater than the plug-in hybrid BYD Shark 6, GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV and the upcoming Ford Ranger PHEV, all of that are less efficient.
Not all automakers are going all-in on EREVs for all markets, nonetheless.
Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer told Autocar that range-extender powertrains make sense in large cars in China, but that PHEVs are higher for markets like Europe.
When the extended-range Volkswagen ID Era concept was revealed within the Shanghai show with a 1000km range, the brand’s sales and marketing chief said EREV tech could provide a “excellent intermediate step for a lot of consumers” and the powertrains could even “have relevance in Europe”.
But this week his boss said VW wouldn’t engineer EREV powertrains for a wide selection of models outside Europe.
“The technology is just not really recent. It got here up again and spiked in China specifically, but probably also within the US it’s applicable – in predominantly larger vehicles,” he told Autocar.
“It is smart if you have got any type of CO2 regulation and it’s essential to comply with it, but in the larger cars… The questionable area is within the smaller space. While you have got PHEVs, do you really want range-extenders?
“It’s an expensive technology and from a driveability and price standpoint, it is mindless to have each range-extenders and plug-in hybrids.
“In larger cars, yes. Scout, for instance, within the US may have a range-extender. But it surely stays to be seen if that is only a spike or it can actually be a much bigger trend.”
GWM’s president Mu Feng also reportedly said, “Great Wall Motors would slightly die than make extended-range vehicles”, arguing they serve only as a transitional powertrain and don’t align with the corporate’s long-term development plans.
In accordance with Automobile News China, Mr Mu argued EREVs are “pseudo-electric” and rely totally on fossil fuels, have small batteries and subsequently limited electric range, and offer inferior fuel economy to hybrids but worse performance than pure electric vehicles.
This Article First Appeared At www.carexpert.com.au
