With all the hype and bluster around the push to ‘Net Zero’ and converting everyone to the evangelical ways of EV motoring, it’s often a worry that electric vehicles will put paid to the trusty, local independent garage. But there’s a technology that’s currently taking China by storm, which will keep independents in business for a long time to come. I’m sure of it…
Having owned a BMW i3 with a range extender (REx) for a number of years now, it’s long been clear to me that this is a route all manufacturers should follow.
An EV with 150ish miles of pure electric range, backed up by a small petrol engine that can act as a generator, is the perfect fit for any motorist. BMW were one of the pioneers of this tech, along with GM.
When the i3 and the Volt/Ampera hit the market, the charging infrastructure was in its infancy, and to get buyers over the ‘range anxiety’, a petrol engine that you can top up in seconds meant you could be back on the road in no time, which made total sense.
But it still does. And it’s what the government should have pushed instead of ‘clean Diesel’ all those years ago. A boom is now happening in China when it comes to range extenders, and as Western manufacturers start to catch on…they’re a bit slow, so it may take a few years, but the future is guaranteed to be Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREV).
For the vast majority of drivers, a 150-mile EV range is more than ample. But for those rare, longer jaunts, many either get the jitters about finding a working charger, or simply don’t want the hassle of plugging in and stopping for 20 or 40 minutes. This is where the little BMW i3 with its REx shines, and why we’re currently seeing EREV sales skyrocket in China.
Extended Range Electric Vehicles – EREV explained
In the UK, an EV is a vehicle that’s driven by an electric motor, drawing its energy from a battery that can be charged via the mains. What sets the EREV apart is the inclusion of a small internal combustion engine (ICE) that functions solely as an onboard generator. This engine activates when the battery charge depletes to a certain level or when the user wants to ‘save’ a certain percentage of battery power. It then produces electricity to recharge the battery and extend the vehicle’s range.
The key difference between an EREV and a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is that the combustion engine doesn’t directly power the wheels; its only role is to generate electricity for the electric motor. EREVs offer a driving experience more like a pure battery electric vehicle (BEV) for everyday journeys, but provide that safety net for longer distances where charging infrastructure might be patchy.
Yes, you are lugging around the extra weight all of the time, which does impact range day-to-day, but in the case of the i3, this weight difference is 120kg, or just under 19 stone. Extra weight can be mitigated to some degree by clever aerodynamic design which boosts vehicle efficiency, or by slightly increasing the battery size.
In the UK we’re currently navigating a significant shift towards electric mobility, driven by governmental policies (for right or wrong) and increasing environmental awareness. Despite the growing adoption of BEVs, concerns remain among potential buyers regarding the practicality of relying solely on battery power. ‘Range anxiety’, the fear of the battery running out of charge before reaching a charging point, remains a significant psychological barrier for many – which is often unfounded and driven by media hype, but some drivers genuinely have nowhere to charge at home.
And while the charging infrastructure in the UK is still expanding, it faces limitations, particularly in rural areas and during peak travel periods at motorway service stations. The cost to charge ‘out in the wild’ is also on the up, with some rapid chargers costing as much as a tank of fuel.
The cost of purchasing a BEV, especially models with a large range, also remains a prohibitive factor for a large segment of buyers. Manufacturers have sought to make the most profit by making the majority of BEVs huge, great, tank-like SUV’s or super premium sports saloons. In this context, EREVs present themselves as a potentially game-changing solution, bridging the gap between traditional combustion engine vehicles and the pure electric future.
They offer the advantage of electric driving for daily commutes and urban trips, contributing to lower emissions and potentially reduced running costs, while providing the reassurance of an extended total range for longer journeys without the need for frequent charging stops. This ‘middle ground’ approach could make the transition to electric mobility far more accessible and appealing to a broader range of UK drivers who may not yet be fully confident in the current charging infrastructure or the range capabilities of BEVs to meet all their travel needs.
Just think if every car on our roads today were an EREV, the reduction in emissions would be incredible. Citing the i3 once again, it emits just 13g/CO2 per km. Take a current 1.2 litre Peugeot 208 as a comparable car, its emissions range from 109 – 127g/km. That’s 88% less emissions from the Range Extender. Our air and environment could be considerably cleaner if we had gone down this route 10 years ago.
China’s EREV success story and Europe’s mixed reception
The global landscape of EREV adoption is a mixed bag, with China embracing the technology on a large scale while Europe has shown considerably less enthusiasm.
In China, EREVs have experienced huge growth, seeing a 173% increase in deliveries year-on-year in 2023, with a total of 623,000 units delivered last year. In the past month alone, EREVs accounted for a notable 10.2% of the total electric vehicle market in China, with 114,000 vehicles finding new owners.
This growth shows the strong market acceptance and growing consumer demand for EREVs in China. A key player in this success is Li Auto, a manufacturer that exclusively designs and produces EREVs. Their focus on EREV has paid off, with the company delivering an impressive 376,030 vehicles last year, representing a dominant 60% share of the entire EREV market in China. This highlights the significant impact a dedicated manufacturer can have in driving the adoption and enhancing the overall image of EREV technology. Something Europe is currently lacking.
A major factor contributing to the popularity of EREVs in China is their ability to offer extended driving ranges, effectively mitigating range anxiety. Typically, Chinese EREVs provide a total range of around 600 kilometres (370 miles) before requiring either a battery recharge or refuelling of the range extender. Some models, such as one from BYD, even have a combined range of 2,100 kilometres (1,305 miles).
And many Chinese EREVs are equipped with large battery packs, with capacities reaching up to 65 kWh, and larger than average fuel tanks, holding up to 84 litres, which contributes to their impressive ranges. This focus on extended range directly addresses the main concern for many Chinese consumers considering their first electric vehicle purchase. Large batteries are less likely to be needed in the UK and Europe, and in doing so, manufacturers could offer EREVs at a more competitive price than fully electric vehicles. A typical full EV range of 150 miles would be more than adequate in European markets.
Another significant advantage of EREVs in China is their cost-effectiveness. A typical EREV is approximately 30,000 yuan (US$4,220) less expensive than a comparable fully electric car. This lower price point makes EREVs a more accessible option for a wider range of consumers in the Chinese market.
The reasons behind the widespread adoption of EREVS in China are down to the longer driving ranges they offer, their lower cost compared to BEVS, and the less developed charging infrastructure in certain regions. The strategic “middle of the road” approach that EREVs represent in the transition to full electrification, coupled with the successful branding and the high quality of the vehicles produced by companies like Li Auto, has also played a crucial role in their popularity.
The variety of EREV models available in China is also worth mentioning, with numerous manufacturers, including Dongfeng Motor, Deepal, Geely, and even Xiaomi, either offering or developing EREVs.
In stark contrast to the thriving EREV market in China, Europe has, and continues to show a more reserved attitude towards this key technology. As already mentioned, the BMW i3, launched with considerable fanfare as a modern and high-end electric vehicle, offered a range extender option alongside its purely electric version.
But the reception of the range extender in Europe was lukewarm. One big drawback was the added cost; the i3 with the range extender was 5,000 euros more expensive than the pure electric model and also weighed an additional 120 kilograms.
In a car that heavily relied on lightweight carbon composite construction, this makeshift solution was seen by some as antiquated. The fuel tank capacity for the range extender was also limited to just nine litres to ensure the i3 still qualified as an electric car under certain regulations. While this did give the little i3 almost 100 miles more range, it could be argued that it, in fact, restricted the practical benefit of the range extender.
Over time, as battery technology improved and the availability of rapid charging stations increased across Europe, BMW decided to discontinue the range extender for the i3, citing the increasing pure-electric range of the i3 and the growing charging infrastructure as reasons for this decision. Suggesting that consumer demand was shifting towards purely electric models.
While the range extender option remained available in markets like the United States and Japan for longer, where larger travel distances and potentially less developed charging networks made it more appealing, its limited success in Europe highlighted different consumer priorities and market conditions.
The increased cost, added weight, and limited fuel capacity of the range extender in the BMW i3 ultimately scuppered its widespread adoption in the European market.
| Feature | China | Europe (Historically) |
| Market Share | Significantly growing (around 10% of EV market currently) | Limited; BMW i3 REx had some initial popularity but declined |
| Sales Growth | Very high (173% year-on-year) | Stagnant, leading to discontinuation |
| Key Selling Points | Long range, lower cost, addresses infrastructure gaps | Initial appeal for range extension, but drawbacks outweighed benefits |
| Model Variety | Wide range of models available from various manufacturers | Limited, primarily the BMW i3 REx |
| Cost Compared to BEVs | Generally lower | Higher (BMW i3 REx was more expensive) |
| Battery Size | Often large (up to 65 kWh) | Relatively smaller (BMW i3 REx) |
| Fuel Tank Size | Often large (up to 84 litres) | Limited (e.g., 9 litres in BMW i3 REx) |
The UK’s Road Ahead – Why a purely electric future won’t be the only route
Despite the historical challenges faced by EREVs in Europe, the UK’s current circumstances present a potentially more favourable landscape for their resurgence. As I already mentioned, the UK’s charging infrastructure, while undergoing continuous expansion, still has its limitations. This mirrors some of the infrastructure concerns that have contributed to the popularity of EREVs in China.
Couple that with consumer sentiment in the UK continuing to reflect anxieties about the practicalities of relying solely on battery power, especially for drivers who regularly undertake longer journeys or live in housing without access to a driveway for charging.
EREVs, with their ability to offer a substantial total driving range, could effectively address these concerns, potentially encouraging a greater number of consumers to transition away from traditional petrol and diesel vehicles.
The specific context of the UK market, with its own unique infrastructure challenges and consumer hesitations, means that EREVs might represent a far more compelling proposition now than they did a decade ago.
A big factor that could further enhance the appeal of EREVs in the UK is the potential for cost savings associated with their smaller battery packs. As highlighted by Aurobay, a vehicle equipped with a range extender can use a battery approximately half the size of a comparable pure electric vehicle. This reduction in battery size translates directly into substantial cost and weight savings.
Aurobay estimates that in the premium SUV sector, these savings could amount to as much as 6,000 euros. In the UK market, where the initial purchase price of electric vehicles remains a significant barrier for many, the potential for EREVs to be more affordable than equivalent BEVs could prove to be a decisive advantage for whichever manufacturer makes the first move.
The global automotive industry is also showing renewed interest in the potential of range extender technology. The “renaissance of the range extender” in China, was a topic that garnered significant attention at the 2023 Vienna Motor Symposium with Guenter Fraidl from AVL List, a prominent figure in the automotive engineering world, specifically referencing this latest trend, acknowledging the technology’s previous struggles in Europe while highlighting its current success in the Chinese market. This shows that European automotive manufacturers are closely watching the developments in China and are potentially reconsidering their previous stance on EREVs. Which needs to happen sooner, rather than later, before one of the Chinese manufacturers starts importing EREVs and corners the market.
Further evidence of this renewed interest comes from Aurobay’s presentation of their range extender technology for commercial vehicles at the Vienna Motor Symposium in 2023. Their focus on range extenders for commercial applications shows the technology’s potential to overcome infrastructure limitations and extend the operational reach of electric vehicles. Even earlier, in 2010, FEV showcased a Wankel engine-based range extender concept at the same symposium. This sustained, hot and cold interest from key players in the European automotive sector suggests a growing realisation of the potential of range extenders in specific markets. And now Mazda are in fact fielding a Wankel engine range extender in the latest version of the MX-30.
And within the last month, ZF has unveiled a new system that integrates a range-extending generator with a motor into a single package, designed for all-wheel drive vehicles without needing a second drive system. ZF are also betting big on range extenders, developing a next-generation system for market in 2026. As we know with gearboxes, if ZF offer it and it’s good, manufacturers will take it.
The future of EREVs in the UK
While the long-term vision for the UK’s automotive future may be leaning towards a fully electric vehicle parc, the transition is likely to be multi-staged and involve a range of technological solutions – some of which aren’t even prominent as of yet on our shores.
EREVs offer a sensible approach, enabling consumers to get the benefits of electric driving for the majority of their journeys – with estimates suggesting around 85% of driving in EREVs would be electric – while providing the crucial flexibility and peace of mind of an extended range for longer trips.
The potential for cost savings through smaller batteries, coupled with the renewed interest in range extender technology within the European automotive industry, suggests that EREVs could play a more significant role in the UK’s transition to sustainable mobility than previously anticipated. Especially when combined with their massive potential to reduce emissions, which the government seem none the wiser about…
So while the push to electric is seemingly in full flow, even if consumers have eased off the throttle when it comes to EV purchases, this isn’t the final nail in the coffin for ICE vehicles. When EREVs land on our shores – which they undoubtedly will one way or another, they will help to secure the future of independent garages, with traditional oil and spark plug changes being the order of the day when it comes to servicing.
EREVs represent a compelling alternative to pure EV that we will be seeing on our roads in the near future.
