Volkswagen Group is seriously considering introducing range-extended electric vehicle (EREV) technology to the European market, Martin Sander, head of VW brand sales, said at the recent Shanghai Auto Show.
Think of the Chevrolet Volt
EREVs combine an electric platform with a combustion engine acting as a generator to recharge the battery once it is depleted. This significantly increases the vehicle's total range, while still allowing for most motorists to drive almost exclusively in electric mode.
Currently, only Leapmotor (a Chinese brand partially owned by Stellantis) and Mazda sell EREVs in Europe.
Technology to meet European challenges
Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume has called on the European Union to consider an exemption for EREVs in the 2035 target aimed at only allowing the sale of zero-emission vehicles. In his view, these vehicles could facilitate the transition to electrification for many consumers.
A pragmatic approach inspired by China
Blume points to the pragmatic way in which China is pushing towards electrification without imposing a strict ban on internal combustion engines. And as it happens, Volkswagen presented its first range-extended vehicle concept for the Chinese market in Shanghai this year. The VW ID. Era three-row SUV promises 300 km of pure electric range, to which the combustion engine adds another 700 km when needed.
A specifically European EREV powertrain
Volkswagen doesn’t intend to use the powertrain developed with SAIC for China in Europe. According to Martin Sander, VW is working on its own EREV system for the European market, although few details have yet been revealed.
The renaissance of EREV technology
In the past, European brands such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz forsook EREVs in favour of plug-in hybrids. But for Blume, the advances in new generations of electric vehicles now make EREVs “much more comfortable and relevant”, saying the technology is having a “renaissance”.
A growing global trend
In the U.S., Stellantis has launched the Ram 1500 Ramcharger, an extended-range pickup with a 92 kWh battery plus ICE offering up to 1,100 km of combined range. Other brands such as Genesis and Ford are also developing EREV models. Ford CEO Jim Farley points out that customers perceive EREVs as true electric vehicles, using electric power for 95 percent of their travel.
In Europe, Leapmotor already offers the C10 REEV, a mid-size SUV sold at the same price as its 100% electric equivalent. Mazda also sells the MX-30 R-EV, a small SUV combining an 830 cc rotary engine and a 17.8 kWh battery.
A clear economic advantage
EREVs also have a notable economic advantage: they are cheaper to produce than traditional EVs, especially when it comes to large vehicles. As Farley explains, the architecture of EREVs, freed of complex transmissions or drive shafts, significantly reduces costs for customers.