Range extender EREV technology returns to the European automotive market

Range extender (EREV) technology, which offers a solution to range anxiety—one of the biggest problems of electric cars—is preparing to return to the European market with new plans from Ford and Renault, following its widespread use in China.

About 15 years ago, when automakers were introducing electric vehicle concepts, limited battery range stood out as one of the biggest problems. Audi showcased a range extender system with a small rotary engine in its A1 e-tron model presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 2010, but did not carry this technology into mass production. BMW, on the other hand, offered its i3 model with a range extender option for a period, but the technology eventually withdrew from the European market.

Extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) technology, which has been used in the Chinese market for a long time, is now back on the agenda. While Ford is offering a version of its Bronco model equipped with a range extender for sale in China, it plans to bring the same technology to Europe. Jim Baumbick, Ford's European CEO, stated in an interview with Automobilwoche that plug-in hybrids and EREV models constitute an important alternative for consumers who are not yet ready for fully electric vehicles.

Renault is making similar preparations. Company CEO François Provost announced that they are working on models equipped with a range extender, noting that this technology can be an alternative to high-capacity batteries in large cars. Provost criticized the daily use of 2.5 or 2.7-ton cars in city centers, stating that vehicles with range extenders offer up to 200 kilometers of purely electric driving, while on longer trips, the internal combustion engine provides energy to the battery to increase the range.