Why a once-dismissed technology could be staging a comeback
Once considered an unloved stopgap, the range extender may be ready for a renaissance. A stroll through the halls of the IAA in Munich made it clear: suppliers like Mahle and ZF are once again working full speed on the technology, not just for China, but with Europe in mind.
A checkered past in Europe
The idea isn’t new, but its track record in Europe is mixed at best. Opel’s Ampera never made a lasting mark, while BMW quietly dropped the i3’s range-extender option once a larger 42 kWh battery became available. Other prototypes, like a Mazda 2 and an Audi A1 with compact rotary engines, never made it past concept stage.
Audi actually tested the waters 13 years ago, placing a rotary engine in the spare wheel well of an A1, paired with an electric motor. Mazda brought a similar idea to market with the MX-30 EV, but its limited electric-only range undermined its appeal. German OEMs, for their part, turned their focus to pure EVs and plug-in hybrids, leaning on cheaper 48-volt mild-hybrid systems to trim real-world fuel use.
A third way
That binary approach of combustion or EV has left a gap, says Thorsten Rixmann, CMO of the Obrist Group. “German manufacturers force customers to choose between combustion engines and EVs. More and more Chinese brands are showing another way: the range extender. You drive electric, but instead of huge, heavy batteries, a small petrol unit keeps the motor fed. That means over 1,000 kilometers of range, exactly what customers want today and in the coming years.”
Obrist’s solution, the so-called Zero Vibration Generator, consumes just 1.5 liters of petrol per 100 km, or 3.3 liters of ethanol if you want an alternative fuel, while delivering up to 80 km of electric-only range. Combined with the onboard engine, that translates to roughly 1,000 km without a single charging stop.
What exactly is a range extender?
In strict terms, it’s a small combustion engine dedicated to generating electricity for an EV’s battery. In some systems, the engine also offered a “motorway mode,” delivering direct drive at high speeds. Customers, however, never really warmed to the added complexity, and OEMs themselves saw little appeal in engineering a backup solution “just in case” the battery ran dry.
In China, though, the story is different. There, one in ten new cars is now a range-extended EV. That equals about five percent of the total market today. A figure expected to double by the end of the decade. For suppliers and OEMs alike, the attraction isn’t only customer acceptance but also profitability. According to analysts at Alix Partners, margins on range extenders are stronger than on many small BEVs.
The halo example: the Yangwang U8, a massive SUV with four electric motors producing 800 kW or 1197 PS, backed by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that recharges its hefty battery pack.
From niche to mainstream
Back in 2020, only three OEMs offered range-extended models. Today, more than 20 brands sell over 50 different variants, and the number is climbing. The U.S. is catching on too. With EV adoption outside coastal states sluggish and charging networks patchy, Stellantis introduced the Ram 1500 Ramcharger. Built in Sterling Heights, Michigan, it pairs a 3.6-liter V6 acting solely as a 130 kW generator with dual electric motors. The result? 663 PS, 900 Nm of torque, 0 to 100 km/h capability, and no reliance on public chargers. “With unlimited electric range, the Ramcharger is the ultimate light-duty truck,” says Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis.
Proven in Japan, expanding worldwide
Japan has been ahead of the curve. Nissan’s e-Power system has sold more than 1.6 million units in 68 countries. In models like the Qashqai, a 1.5-liter turbo triple never powers the wheels directly. It only feeds the electric motor and a compact battery. By constantly adjusting compression ratios, the petrol unit runs at peak efficiency, cutting fuel use. Nissan says the third generation, optimized for higher autobahn speeds, should deliver 15 percent lower consumption in fast driving.
Volkswagen joins the party
Volkswagen, too, has been experimenting. Initially with a focus on China, but from 2027 also in the U.S. Its reborn Scout brand will offer not just pure-electric off-roaders like the Traveler and Terra, but also range-extended versions with over 900 km of total range.
Outlook: second life for a controversial idea
Range extenders once looked like a dead end. Today, they may be the most pragmatic answer to range anxiety, patchy charging networks, and the high costs of large batteries. From compact hatchbacks to hulking SUVs, from China to the U.S., the technology is spreading fast. Europe, where customers still waver between BEVs and combustion cars, could well be next.
