The Range Extender May Finally Have Its Moment

When I started writing professionally about the auto industry in late 2006, my first really big story was the debut of the Chevrolet Volt concept at the 2007 North American International Auto Show. This was just months after Tesla came out of stealth mode to reveal the Roadster and Who Killed the Electric Car? hit theaters. Unlike Tesla’s battery-powered sports car and the General Motors (GM) EV1 that was the subject of the film, the Volt had a unique propulsion system—GM dubbed it an extended-range EV (EREV). While the EREV may have had a bit of a false start in the early 2010s, the second half of the 2020s may prove to be this concept’s moment in the sun.

The Volt was being conceived in mid-2006 when GM recognized it needed an electric follow-up to the EV1, which had been canceled (and the cars scrapped) in 2003. Lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries were just becoming a viable alternative to the lead-acid and nickel-metal hydride batteries used in the EV1. Li-ion batteries offered vastly improved energy density, but they also came at a high cost. After the expensive-to-build EV1, GM was focused on a vehicle that would meet mainstream needs, including affordability.

Keeping the price down meant opting for a battery with just enough capacity to cover most daily driving without burning any gas. But that minimalist approach would mean an overly restrictive range of uses (e.g., no road trips). Thus was born the EREV. Studies had shown that over 75% of daily driving was under 40 miles, and this became the benchmark for the Volt, with another 300 miles from the range extender. The Volt concept was specified with a three-cylinder gas engine to drive a generator that could sustain the battery charge once it was depleted. The combined cost of the range extender and modest battery would be significantly less than the cost of a battery that could provide 200 miles of electric range.

Unfortunately for GM, development of the production Volt coincided with the company’s deteriorating financial condition that led to a 2009 bankruptcy reorganization. GM originally set a price target of $35,000. The production Volt ended up using an off-the-shelf 1.4 liter four-cylinder engine and an adapted version of GM’s two-mode hybrid drive unit. The actual starting price was over $41,000, with an electric range of 35 miles. Due to the modified hybrid drive, many didn’t consider it a true EREV, although it turned out that 90% of miles driven by owners of the first-generation model were exclusively on electricity.

In 2011, the Fisker Karma became the first true production EREV with no mechanical connection between the engine and wheels, but Fisker Automotive ended up going bankrupt 2 years later. BMW also offered a range-extended version of its i3, but the two-cylinder motorcycle engine was unable to provide enough power to maintain full highway speeds.

There are now numerous EREVs being offered in China by multiple brands including Li Auto, Huawei, and Leapmotor. These feature batteries of up to 65 kWh and an electric driving range of well over 100 real-world miles. The first new EREV expected in the US market is the Ram 1500 Ramcharger in 2025, a full-size pickup with a 92 kWh battery, over 140 miles of electric range, and a total range of nearly 700 miles. For larger trucks and SUVs that are often used for towing, the EREV is seen as a much better solution than a battery EV (BEV).

Earlier this year, Ford announced expanded production capacity at its Oakville, Ontario, assembly plant in Canada for its Super Duty trucks, including electrified versions that are expected to be EREVs. GM has announced plans to add plug-in hybrids to its lineup in the coming years and is also likely to follow its competitors with EREVs. When new Volkswagen subsidiary Scout Motors unveiled concept versions of its new Terra pickup and Traveler SUV that were expected to be BEVs only, it surprised the audience with the news that it would also offer an EREV.

While EREVs aren’t considered true zero emissions vehicles by the most ardent EV advocates, they are a very pragmatic solution for vehicles that need to handle bigger jobs like towing over long distances while still enabling mostly emissions-free driving. The EREV will likely have a home in the automotive landscape for at least the next decade or two as battery technology and charging infrastructure continue to evolve.