What Is

EV Range Extender: The Basics

By 02/09/2024 8:00am

Quick Facts About EV Range Extenders

Range anxiety, or the fear of running out of power before reaching a destination, is no longer the only reason some consumers steer away from battery-electric vehicles. The shortage of functioning charging stations has edged it out in the hierarchy of explanations. However, these two reasons seem closely related — maybe even one and the same. Either way, charging a battery-powered electric vehicle when away from home remains a leading concern. This is where an EV range extender — a gizmo capable of stretching the battery’s charge — comes into play.

What Is an EV Range Extender?

When experts speak of an EV range extender, they refer to a small internal combustion engine. Currently, two methods exist for extending an electric car’s range: a second (or larger) battery or a small internal combustion engine (ICE) to produce electricity if the EV battery runs dry of juice. In this scenario, when the power stored in the EV battery is depleted, the ICE springs into action to generate sufficient electric power to feed the EV battery, which continues operating the electric motor. In other words, the ICE isn’t connected to the drive wheels. Its sole function is to feed electric power to the EV battery once it runs dry. And refueling is an option. 

NOTE: The best-known examples of EVs with range extenders are the now-out-of-production Chevrolet Volt. Also out of production, the BMW i3 with range extender is another example. 

EV Range Extender vs. a Hybrid

The typical hybrid, like the Toyota Prius, drives with an electric motor and an ICE. It’s the same as a battery-electric vehicle with a range extender. However, the typical hybrid drives with either the electric motor or the ICE (though sometimes together) and can power the drive wheels. In an electric car with an EV range extender, only the electric motor is attached to the drive wheels. If the ICE kicks in, its only function is to supply electric power to the electric motor through the EV battery. 

EV Range Extender vs. a Plug-in Hybrid

Although an EV range extender powertrain and a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) require a battery, electric motor, and ICE, they utilize them differently. A PHEV is engineered to propel the vehicle for roughly 20-40 miles. When the battery is depleted, the ICE jumps in and powers the drive wheels. An EV range extender powertrain always propels the vehicle with the electric motor. However, once the battery is depleted, the ICE comes to life, creating energy to restore the battery charge, which continues feeding the electric motor.

Why EV range extenders never caught on remains one of the automobile industry’s unsolved mysteries. However, one reason is likely the cost. When launched in 2010, the Chevrolet Volt carried a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $41,000. The average price of a new car that year was less than $30,000.