When Western media talk about “China’s EV market,” they’re actually talking about the “NEV market.” NEV, or New Energy Vehicles, is a Chinese vehicle class for passenger cars. Within NEV, there are three categories: Electric Vehicles (EV), Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PHEV), and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV). We’re going to look at PHEVs in China, specifically Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVS) like the BMW i3.
Here are a few notes about NEVs to get us started:
- The NEV distinction is important because only NEVs qualify for state- and local green-energy subsidies.
- The PHEV category includes Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREV).
- Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) are not NEVs. They are classified as ICE vehicles.
- There is no mass production of FCEV (hydrogen) passenger cars, but some brands make small series for specific demonstration projects, like airport taxi vehicles and the like.
- In May, Chinese consumers bought 955.000 NEVs, divided by 583,000 EVs (+12.5% YoY) and 371.000 PHEVs, including EREVs (+87.7% Y0Y). The remaining 1000 cars were likely FCEVs.
With that out of the way, let’s get into range-extended EVs, which are technically plug-in hybrids, but probably not the type that you Americans are used to.
EREV Explained
An Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV), also known as a Range Extender Electric Vehicle (REEV), is a type of electric vehicle that primarily runs on electric power but includes an additional internal combustion engine (ICE) that runs a generator to recharge the battery. The ICE does not drive the wheels directly, and is there to increase range and thus reduced range anxiety. The main disadvantages are added complexity and extra weight (though, less than if this were a standard plug-in hybrid, since EREVs don’t require multi-speed transmissions or big motors that can directly drive the wheels). Early examples of EREVs include the BMW i3 REx and the Chevrolet Volt. But those vehicles use Stone Age technology compared to the latest Chinese EREVs.
The Thing With Chinese EREVs
The popularity of EREVs in China is going through the roof. The main reason is EV-range anxiety, but there is more: New Chinese EREVs are ultra-advanced machines — more advanced than EVs in many ways, and consumers in China like to have the latest technology with their wheels. What’s new:
- Extremely long range: up to 1517 kilometers (943 miles)
- Large batteries: the batteries of Chinese EREVs are huge: up to 65 kWh.
- Large fuel tanks: up to 84 liters.
- DC fast charging, just like an EV.
- Hyper-efficient ICE, like Miller cycle engines.
- The Chinese expression for EREV is 增程式 (zēng chéngshì).
- Most EREVs are aimed at families with an outdoorsy lifestyle, going glamping in the mountains on the weekend.
More EREV & Less EV
With rising popularity, more Chinese NEV makers are adding EREVs to the lineup. A brand like Avatr for example always was EV-only, but their new 07 SUV will be available as EREV and EV from the start, and Avatr is developing EREV variants for the rest of their lineup as well. Another example is Deepal, a brand under Changan. Initially, Deepal offered EV and EREV, but its latest model is EREV only.
Soon, if not already, EV-only makers will be in the minority. A few well-known holdouts are brands like NIO, IM, and Xpeng. Other combinations exist; Voyah sells some models with EREV powertrains only, and others with EV and PHEV powertrains. BYD’s main brand sells EVs and PHEVs, but the company’s high-end brands sell EVs and EREVs. Even a new brand like Xiaomi, which has just launched its first EV sedan with much fanfare, has changed its strategy from EV-only ti EV & EREV.
High-Speed Innovation
Chinese NEV makers innovate with incredibly high speed, in software and hardware. In China, nobody waits two years to introduce the next update, that is way too long. Updates are launched whenever ready. It may so happen that car makers introduced an updated model three months after launch and another update three months later. These updates may include anything: design changes, a new operating system, a larger screen, an improved engine, a bigger battery, and more.
To be sure: this is not just about OTA updates — that’s happening a lot too — but really about introducing improved vehicles. Usually, these upgraded variants get a new sub-name. For example, a car may be called the W. The upgraded variant will be called W Extra Long Range or W Smart Driving. After a while, the original W will quietly disappear from the lineup. And on it goes.
Examples of Modern Chinese EREV cars
Dozens of Chinese brands sell EREVs — way too many to include them all in this article. I have selected some of the best and some of the newest for this overview.
Li L9 (Combined Range: 877 miles. EV range: 174 miles)
The best-known EREV maker is Li, a brand under Li Auto. Li is one of the largest of the “new” Chinese brands. In May the brand sold 35,020 cars for the 16th place in the brand-sales ranking. Until very recently, Li Auto only made EREVs. At this moment, Li sells four EREV SUVs and one fully mad full-electric MPV.
The SUVs are marketed as luxury long-distance travel cars, and that does indeed go perfectly with an EREV power train. The biggest Li SUV is the L9, with a length of 205 inches and a curb weight of almost 5,700 pounds. It is an impressive machine with a daring design. The L9 costs 409.800 yuan or $56.5K.
The technology is equally impressive. At the front, it has a generator and one electric motor. Between the axles: battery and fuel tank. Rear: the second electric motor. The numbers:
With all that power, fuel, and electricity, the Li L9 has a combined range of 877 miles and an EV-only range of 174 miles. Zero to 62 MPH takes 5.3 seconds, and top speed is 112 mph.
Like complexity? Li has you covered. With all these new brands and technologies, it is hard for Chinse NEV companies to find enough staff for maintenance centers. Even in China, there is a limit to the number of people who can fix something, let alone an EREV with multiple motors and fuel types.
Most new NEV makers outsource basic maintenance functions to third-party companies. The more complicated work is done at large centralized maintenance shops that cover a wider geographic area. However, this takes more time, and consumers already complain about long waiting times when their cars need a repair. Fortunately, everything software-related can be updated OTA.
Aito M7 Ultra AWD (Combined Range: 777 miles. EV Range: 131 miles)
Aito is a brand under Huawei. This company is most famous for 5G networks, smartphones, and U.S. sanctions. But in China, Huawei has become a very large player in the automotive world, both as a supplier and a car maker.
Huawei controls three car brands: Aito, Luxeed, and Stelato. The Aito brand is the largest of the lot. In May, Aito sold 37,247 cars, good for the 14th place in the brand-sales ranking. Aito sells a range of SUVs with EV and EREV powertrains. The EREV with the longest range is the new Aito M7 Ultra RWD, shown above. It has a length of 200 inches and weighs about 5,200 pounds. The design is more smooth than pretty, with a bit of sportiness. The Aito M7 Ultra RWD costs 289.800 yuan or $40K.
The Ultra is available in two configurations: AWD: range extender + two electric motors. RWD: range extender + one electric motor. The latter has the more horsepower, so that’s the one I am covering here because horsepower is life.
The Ait0 M7 has the range extender quite far ahead of the front axle. Compare that to the Li L9, which has the extender almost between the wheels. The front electric motor is located behind the range extender, then comes the battery pack, the fuel tank, and the second electric motor at the rear. Let’s check the specs:
This is enough power, fuel, and electricity for a combined range of 777 miles and an EV range of 131 miles. The top speed is limited to 118 mph and 0-100 takes only 4.8 seconds.
Typically, these large SUVs are marketed as family/extended-family cars. PR photos always show vast interiors with kids playing around with their pads, pets, or granddad.
Neta L 310 Flash Charge Red (Combined range: 808 miles. EV range: 193 miles)
Neta is a Chinese NEV brand under Hozon Auto. Neta makes a fast-expanding lineup of cool yet affordable NEVs. The smaller cars are EVs and the larger ones EV/EREV. Neta’s best car is without a doubt the Neta GT, an electric sportscar that looks like an Aston Martin mixed with a 1995 Toyota Celica. But that’s an EV.
Neta’s most impressive EREV is the new L, a compact SUV. The Neta L with the longest range is the 310 Flash Charge Red model. It has a length of 188 inches and weighs just over 4,100 pounds. The Neta L is an affordable car; even the 310 Flash Charge Red costs only 152.900 yuan or $21K.
The Neta L is only available as an RWD. The EREV platform is called Shanhai, with the range extender at the front, the batteries and fuel tank between the axles, and the electric motor at the back. Time to have a look at the spec book:
The L has a naturally aspirated range extender. Charging and refueling speed is hugely impressive. If all is empty, you need 19.8 minutes to charge the battery and 3 minutes to refuel. And on you go another 808 miles! What China needs is a gas station with a supercharger and a gasoline pump standing next to each other, or opposite each other, so a driver can recharge and refuel at the same moment, saving precious time. I am surprised China hasn’t thought of this already. I guess that’ll change when more EREVs hit the road.
The Neta L 310 Flash Charge Red has a combined range of 808 miles, an EV range of 193 miles, a 112 mph top speed, and 0-100 takes 8.2 seconds.
Shown above is the Neta GT at a Neta dealer in Beijing. Brilliant-looking machine. This one is painted in Flash Red. RWD or AWD. The top-spec AWD version has 340 kW and 457 ft-lb, it costs 226.800 yuan or $31.2K.
Leapmotor C16 (Combined range: 680 miles. EV range: 124 miles)
Leapmotor is a Chinese car brand founded in 2015. Its English name is Leapmotor, one word, not Leap Motor. Leapmotor’s first car was the coolest: the C01 coupe, China’s first full-electric sportscar. Sadly it didn’t sell well, but Leapmotor had more success with a series of EV/EREV SUVs and an EV minicar.
Leapmotor’s latest is the C16, a super smooth six-seat SUV. Darkened headlights are a new design trend in China, almost every new car has it, and Leap does it very well on the C16. It is 193 inches long with a curb weight of almost 4,600 pounds (EREV). The C16 is available as an EV and as an EREV. The latter costs 155.800 yuan or $21.5K.
The C16 EREV combines a range extender with a single electric motor at the rear, with the battery pack and fuel tank in the middle. To clear the mist, here is the spec list:
The C16 uses a naturally aspirated range extender as well. It is super efficient, with both fuel and electricity consumption. The C16 turns that into an impressive combined range of 680 miles combined and 124 miles in EV mode. The top speed is 105 mph, and it does 0-100 in 8.46 seconds. Not 8.5 seconds; oh no, the correct number is 8.46, according to the manufacturer. Quite precise.
When you are done checking the range you can sing a song with the factory-standard 4-mic wireless karaoke system.
Yangwang U8 (Combined range: 621 miles. EV range: 77 miles)
If Li is the king of EREV brands, we should establish which car is the king of EREV cars — it’s not a Li, it’s the Yangwang U8. Yangwang is a high-end NEV brand under BYD, set to compete with Mercedes-Maybach and Bentley, but those brands seem to be of yesteryear compared to Yangwan. The brand does everything it wants: four-motor cars, EVs, EREVs, supercars, tank-turns, crab-walks, drone bays, cars that wade in water, you name it.
The Yangwang U8 is a massive body-on-frame SUV with five seats, a length of 210 inches. Hold on for the curb weight… … … over 7,600 pounds! The price is steep too, the Yangwang U8 costs 1.098 million yuan or $151.6K.
The power train is called ‘易四方’ (Yì Sìfāng), the English name is easier: e4. The name refers to the number of electric motors; it has four of those — two at the front and two at the rear. Each electric motor drives one wheel. The gas generator is at the front, high up between the wheels. The front electric motors sit lower between the wheels, partially under the extender. The battery pack and the fuel tank (not shown in the image) are between the axles. The rear electric motors are quite high up in the chassis again. Let’s get back to some specs:
The combined range is 621 miles and the EV range is 77 miles. The range is rather limited for such an expensive car, due to the heavy weight and the small battery pack. Only 49.05 kWh! But the U8 charges ultra-fast thanks to its 800V architecture, which is nice, except when you are somewhere report like up on the mountain in the middle of a river. That’s what the range extender is for.
Fortunately, despite its heft, the U8 is fast, it has a top speed of 124 mph, and it does 0-100 in only 3.6 seconds.
The tent is a factory option.
Shown is the Yangwang lineup. On the left is the U9 supercar and on the right is the U7 sedan. Both are four-motor EVs. BYD is a sponsor of the Euro2024 football (soccer) championship, hence the text and the stadium.
M-Hero 917 EREV (Combined range: 637 miles. EV range: 124 miles)
M-Hero is a Dongfeng Motors (DFM) division, and probably China’s coolest unknown brand. M-Hero makes only one car; the 917, a massive body-on-frame off-road monster that can go everywhere. It is 193 inches long and weighs almost 7000 pounds (EREV).
The 917 has AWD & all-wheel steering, and it can do tank turns and wade through water. You can get it with a drone bay, and M-Hero is developing a long-wheelbase L version. M-Hero showed an even more extreme machine at the Beijing Auto Show in April. Everybody thought it was a concept but the company stated that it was for real.
Last month M-Hero launched the 917 Dragon Armor, a special edition with a new front. M-Hero also makes variants for the police and the armed forces. The 917 is available as an EV and as an EREV. The latter costs 637.700 yuan ($88K), slightly cheaper than the EV, which sells for 697.700 ($96K).
The platform is called M-Tech Super Platform. At the front, it has the range extender and one electric motor. In the middle are the battery pack and the fuel tank. At the back are two more electric motors. The specs:
M-Her0 917 has a combined range of 637 miles and an EV range of 124 miles. The top speed is 119 mph and 0-62 mph takes 6 seconds.
Quiz question: is 65.8 kWh a big battery? Yes, and no. It is the biggest battery in any EREV. But the 917 EV version has 142.7 kWh! The M-Hero 917 also has the biggest fuel tank of any EREV. Finally, the 917 is the only EREV with a 2-speed gearbox. Dongfeng has not released numbers on fuel and electricity consumption.
The M-Hero has door handles designed to look like a pistol, with the words ‘Never Back Down’ on the barrel.
Having some fun the M-Hero way: going up a mountain to watch a war movie with your pal. The 917’s 6 kWh V2L connector powers the projector. The fire is powered by wood, or so it appears. The jet is a Shenyang J-11 air superiority fighter.
Deepal G318 AWD (Combined range: 621 miles. EV range: 118 miles)
Deepal is an NEV brand under Changan Auto, the same company that makes the Hunter pick-up truck. Deepal makes a line of advanced EV/EREV sedans and SUVs. The G318 is Deepal’s newest car, a cool off-road-style SUV with searchlights integrated into the roof rack. The G318 is EREV-only for now, an EV version will launch later.
This, again, indicates the relative importance of EREVs over EVs. The G318 is 197 inches long, with a curb weight of 5202 pounds. The AWD version costs 199.900 yuan or $27.5K.
The EREV system is called Super Range Extender 2.0. It is billed as a system that is about “Hard-core energy consumption innovation.” The range extender is located a bit in front of the front axle, next to the front electric motor. The battery pack and the fuel tank are between the axles, with the second electric motor at the rear.
The battery is relatively small, which hurts the range: 621 combined and 218 EV. The drag coefficient of 0.35 Cd doesn’t help either. The top speed is 115 mph and the sprint from 0 to 62 mph takes 6.3 seconds.
The generator looks tiny from this angle.
Changan Hunter AWD (Combined range: 641 miles. EV range: 81 miles)
Zillions EV and PHEV pickup trucks are available in China, but the new Changan Hunter is the first EREV pickup truck. It has an imposing design with a black grille, black wheel arches, roof rails, and, oddly, chromed door handles. The Hunter is large for a hunter, with a length of 5.3 meters, a wheelbase of 3.2 meters, and a curb weight of 2285 kilos. The Hunter is available with two one (RWD) or two electric motors (AWD). The Hunter AWD costs only $20.6K, making it the cheapest car in this story. Changan also sells a campervan version of the Hunter. Spec sheet:
Efficiency is on the low side so range is not that impressive. It uses a 2.0 turbo as a range extender, which is a big motor for a car like this. The only other EREV with a 2.0 turbo in this overview is the massive Yangwang U8. The Hunter AWD has a combined range of 641 miles and an EV range of 81 miles. The Hunter is just out, so new indeed that Changan hasn’t released many photos yet.
The Hunter is marketed as a work truck, and not as a lifestyle vehicle.
Exeed Sterra ET EREV Pro+. Combined range: 943 miles. EV range: 124 miles.
Sterra is a high-end NEV line under Exeed, itself a brand under Chery Auto. Exeed Sterra sells two cars: the Sterra ES sedan (EV) and the Sterra ET SUV (EV & EREV). The ET SUV launched on the Chinese car market in May. It is a large aerodynamic vehicle without too many exciting design details, except perhaps for the screens on each side of the front bumper. Exeed calls these screens the Lamp Factory. The screens can show animations and text messages, just like HiPhi had. The interior, however, is super pretty. The ET is nearly 198 inches long with about a 5000 pound curb weight. The most advanced model is the ET EREV Pro+, which costs 225.800 yuan ($31.K).
The Sterra ET is only available with RWD. The range extender is at the front, the battery pack is in the middle, and the electric motor is at the back. The photo doesn’t show the location of the fuel tank, and there isn’t any space behind the batteries, so I guess it is normally located just behind the battery, next to the electric motor. The range extender is quite far back over the front axle. It seems a tight package for such a large car.
The Sterra ET is hugely efficient, leading to a combined range of 943 miles. However, the battery is small, and that seriously limits the EV range, even with a 17.3 kWh electricity consumption. The ET’s top speed is 112 mph and 0-100 takes 7.6 seconds.
With an interior like this, who cares about the outside? The color combination is called Roland Purple.
Chinese yacht makers already sell electric and diesel-electric hybrid boats, but I haven’t heard of an EREV yet. But who knows? A Chinese NEV maker might just go into boating. Others are into flying cars, mobile phones, space, fashion, and whatnot more.
Rox 01: Combined range (831 miles. EV range: 181 miles)
Rox is a brand under Rox Motor. The Rox 01 is the company’s first and so far only car. It is a giant SUV with a somewhat elegant Land Rover-like design. The Rox, however, has lidar, and I don’t think anyone at Rover even knows what lidar is. The 01 can wade, just like the 918 and the U8. They should have a wading match, who gets across the Yangtze first? The Rox 01 is a big machine with a length of 5050 mm and a 3010 mm wheelbase. It is relatively light. The curb weight is ‘only’ 2580 kg. The Rox 01 costs $48K, which makes it a steal.
The platform with the range extender and one electric motor up front, batteries and fuel tank are in the middle, and the second electric motor is at the rear.
The efficiency doesn’t seem very good, but it still manages a combined range is 1338 kilometers and a massive EV range of 292 kilometers. Has to be the low weight and the big fual tank. The top speed is 118 mph and it does 0-100 in 5.5 seconds.
Family fun the Rox way: picnic on a neatly trimmed field, wearing outdoor clothes. The tent and the camping set are dealer options. Note the big-wheeled wagon/stroller on the right. These are a popular option in China right now, I have seen them at many dealers of many brands. Rox will also sell you a mobile kitchen, a hot water dispenser, and a made-to-fit air mattress, all branded ‘Rox’. Strangely, the V2L ‘s output is only 2.2 kW. The most common output is 3.3, and most other high-end EREV SUVs have 6.6 kWh.
Voyah Free AWD Explorer (Combined range: 843 miles. EV range: 161 miles)
Voyah is another high-end NEV brand under Dongfeng Motors (DFM). I made so many jokes about the logo when the brand was announced back in 2019. I will not repeat ‘m here.
Voyah sells three cars: the Dreamer MPV, the Passion sedan, and the Free SUV. The power train situation is nice and messy: the Deamer and the Passion are PHEV or EV. The Free is EREV only, and the upcoming Zhiyin compact SUV is EV-only. The Free is a great-looking car, especially in this Jade Greem color with a darkened grille and an illuminated Voyah logo. The most advanced Free is the recently launched AWD Explorer Model. The Free is 4.9 meters long with a 2960 wheelbase and a 2150 kg curb weight. It costs 247.900 yuan or $34K.
This is a great pic of the platform, showing the complexity of a modern AWD EREV system. The charging port is on the right-rear side, and the fuel door is on the left-rear side. The fuel tank fuels the range extender, which charges the battery, which powers the electric motors at the front and the rear.
The Voyah 318 AWD Explorer has the most powerful single electric motor at the rear of all the cars discussed here. It has a combined range of 843 miles and an EV range of 161 miles. The top speed is 124 mph and it does 0-100 in 4.5 seconds.
See? Same stroller.
Celebrity endorsement is still a big marketing thing in China. The Voyah Free 318 is endorsed by Bosco Wong (黄宗泽), a famous Hong Kong actor and singer. Wong starred in blockbusters such as Buddy Cops (2016), G Storm (2021), and a million television shows. He wears a military-style leather raincoat in the photo, it almost has the same color as the Voyah.
What Is The Best EREV?
So many great cars, and I have only discussed a small portion of the total. Time now to pick a winner: What is the best EREV of the cars in this article? To answer this question we check which car has the biggest in these category:
That looks like a draw! The M-Hero 917 and the Sterra ET share first place. Regardless, there is an EREV for everyone in China. The future for EREV looks bright at the moment, with ever more cars coming to the market. And there seems nothing that can stop them. China already has 9.92 million chargers, and there are EVs out there that can do 620 miles on a single charge. With the next generation of semi-solid and solid batteries coming soon, EVs will go even further. But still, Chinese consumers want to have an EREV — 943 miles is better than 620, and it seems that many folks like the idea of the outdoor lifestyle, which suits an ICE more than an EV given infrastructure issues.
And with that, this story ends. Next, we’ll talk about the numerous long-wheelbase cars sold only in China.
Photo disclaimer: street and dealer photos by me, other photos by the manufacturers.
Some of these have batteries as large as a full BEV in the US. I shudder to think what they would cost if built without the environmental and human-rights violations endemic to China.
This isn’t all that surprising. This is how trains and huge ships have been running for decades. Generate electricity to power motors to move the equipment.
It’s too bad shareholder value of automakers has prevented moving away from ICE propulsion only. It’s a change and that doesn’t prop up stock prices.
It’s minor nitpickery… but the Volt doesn’t fit the given definition of an EREV, because the planetary-gear power split arrangement allows the gas engine to drive the wheels directly.
I must be missing something in the math here. Using the first example, which consumes a stated .86L/62mi, and has a 65L tank, the range would be 4,686 miles. Someone please chime in here, this makes no sense to me.
I hope Tycho explains. My best guess would be some MPGe type number that assumes 90% of the miles are on electricity. Besides that though, the range estimates seem wildly optimistic. That same vehicle says 703 miles on gas from a 17 gallon tank. That’s 41 mpg. For that size car, no way.
What’s the resale market like in China, given the speed of change there? My impression is that there isn’t much of one.
“… door handles designed to look like a pistol …”
Does anyone contact info for a project manager at a company that makes ‘angry eyes’ jeep accessories? Asking for a friend.
I’m surprised there aren’t more EREV’s in the US. Seems like a great idea to quell range anxiety, like who wouldn’t want to have a car that can do 800 miles?
If the shareholders of the companies don’t want it, we don’t get it.
People who don’t like EVs don’t like them because of the batteries, and people who do like EVs consider them a half-measure that should be skipped in favor of full EVs and damn the infrastructure problems!
I’d like to know the 0-60 times of these things when the battery is run down.
Obviously I can’t speak for any of these brand new Chinese cars, but we have a Volt as the wifemobile. It feels just a hair more sluggish off the line when it’s running on gas only, but besides from that it drives pretty much identically regardless of the mode it’s running in.
Do you have any sustained climbs nearby? Also, the Volt is a reasonably sized vehicle compared to its generator; I really question how these behemoths would climb the Grapevine with low battery.
There will be enough reserve power in the battery to run the electric motors at full tilt for a few seconds to get max acceleration. That reserve will get refilled by a combination of regen braking and extra generator capacity; you don’t need the full 100+kW of generator output to maintain cruising speed so the leftover gets stored in the battery.
What about a sustained climb?
If you manage to find a long and steep enough climb and attack it with enough cargo on board you might have some trouble maintaining speed, but that’s a pretty unlikely occurrence. 100+ kW is enough to get you through most situations.
This article would have been better as 5 or 6 different articles. There is too much here to digest at one go. Each vehicle or automaker deserves its own consideration.
One quick observation about the lack of vehicle maintenance and service garages: this just reinforces the stereotype of when it breaks, just buy a new one, because it’s almost impossible to fix the old one.
I’m not American and I’m not used to them either.
Those pistol door handles are cringe in a way that is typically reserved for Wranglers. Does it come with a bullet antenna too?
That M-Hero sure is angry!
I’m all for plug in hybrids but range extended EVs seem like an even more logical step in some ways. I feel Honda could borrow some sweet engines from their motorcycle division and have one going tomorrow! Plus given that GM launched the Volt way ahead of its time and then canceled it just before it could have caught on is evidence enough that it’ll probably wind up being a popular technology here too, haha.
Man these powertrains would do great in the US. I don’t know why range extenders weren’t available on luxury EVs from the jump. The advertising would write itself: “plug in or fill up, your choice” “unlimited range” etc. Grab a tiny engine from one of your developing market ICE cars and slap it in there. You can ultimately switch to an optimized Atkinson cycle engine or something.
The range figures are obviously inflated CLTC numbers but still…I’d love to be able to drive that far without stopping.
Should have kept refining the Volt concept… 50+ miles of electric range on older battery tech. I bet a modern Voltec car could do far better.
I actually took a trip yesterday that outlines why the PHEV/EREV makes the most sense to many people. It was 350 odd miles, mostly in areas that had zero charging. The few towns I did go through I used the EV range, highway driving was on gas. 43 MPG on gas alone.
I’m no engineer, but I don’t understand why this (EREV) isn’t the dominant hybrid technology. Simplified gearing and propulsion, tons of low-end electric torque, with the benefit of a hyper-efficient ICE engine.
Most ICE engines have to balance efficiency and power over a very wide rev band. But if you’re engineering an engine to run at basically a single RPM at all times (as you would with a generator) I would think that would give an engineer more opportunities to really dial in efficiency at that RPM. Maybe I’m wrong, but seems like a much better solution than most hybrid cars with two separate powertrains in one.
I think the problem is that manufacturers are lothe to put in a huge amount of R&D into what is, in essence a small, fancy generator.
To REALLY lean into the efficiency I think such a generator will need all the tricks. Infinite variable lift and duration cam timing, full range cylinder deactivation, barely acceptable NOx due to crazy high compression ratios, etc while also minimizing NVH. That’s going to take a lot of money for a 35-55 hp engine.
OTOH they can probably not worry so much about exhaust note.
You don’t need variable timing or lift, or cylinder deactivation. You’re running at a predetermined speed and load, and nothing else. Plus your intake and exhaust can be tuned for one frequency and flow rate.
Range extenders can be simpler and cheaper than a small engine in a traditional car. You can even base them on the same architecture and de-content the stuff you don’t need (like a throttle). Then you can optimise bearing sizes for just that one speed and load, and your valve springs too – run the valve train on the edge of float with minimised friction.
I worked on a few REEVs when they were just research projects decades ago.
Development tests were simplified because you know exactly how it’s going to get used, no high speed, no idling, no lugging in the wrong gear, no user abuse testing. So the engineering program is cheaper than for a tradition ICE installation.
If you haven’t already, you might read about the Hyundai/Kia Smartstream 1.6L engine. This does much of what you outline without cylinder deactivation.
I drive a ’24 Sportage HEV with this very engine on board. It does have a mode where it simply runs to charge the onboard battery for EV miles. It’s engaged a few times while I’ve been on the road. I think the majority of drivers wouldn’t even notice it because they have isolated NVH extremely well in this vehicle. In this setup it’s using SULEV emissions controls.
The engine is a 1.6L turbo, features continuously variable valve duration (industry first), water intercooler, a variable intake system, variable valve timing, and direct injection. Ward’s raves about the design and performance. Maintenance schedules are on par with just about any other engine of similar size.
Oh, almost forgot. It also has an oil dipstick.
How constant is that load though? My thought was that the load will vary between needing enough engine power to charge a completely depleted battery while also providing enough power to the motor to climb a mountain while overloaded and a very light load with a full battery on level ground but on a very cold day when waste heat is better than the heat pump. I was thinking 3-4 cylinders running for the former, one for the latter. Or use hit and miss firing.
One criticism I’ve heard of the BMW i3 was its engine wasn’t powerful enough to meet the maximum load while I think it may have also been overkill as a battery topper and cold weather cabin warmer.
As constant as the designer wants it to be for chosen tradeoffs. It can be sized to charge the battery quickly under a full-load climb, or barely hold steady under those circumstances but charge rapidly otherwise, or it can even be sized a bit short of a full-load climb and kick on while the battery still has some reserve. It can also be set up for a direct drivetrain connection for more efficient highway cruising or be purely a range extender. The Volt in particular has a “mountain mode” that basically increases the size of the battery reserve set aside for large climbs.
Which is where DOD and hit/miss tech comes in. These allow the same engine to run at its happiest over much wider range of load.
I would think that in a properly designed RE-EV, engine power would only be used to extend range.
So all the power used to drive the wheels should be from the battery pack… and maybe just having it supplemented with the engine output in some circumstances.
If the user is an idiot and never plugs in and runs solely on ICE power, well that’s on them.
And if your ICE happens to be a diesel, I suspect it makes passing emissions a whole lot easier with a big reduction in PM emissions that are often the result of the driver stabbing the throttle in a regular diesel.
For me, I think development is moving to fast and would wait for the Geely Galaxy E5.It is suppose to be under $25k and should be out 2nd half of this year. It has 329 miles of range with a 60.22 kWh battery and can fast charge from 10% to 80% in 17 minutes. Plus the battery works in the cold and is resistant to thermal runaway. That is kinda hard to beat. Too bad we probably wont see them here in the US because…
What I find interesting are the sheer number of options they have. Nice to see the choices we’ve afforded their burgeoning middle class via our addictions to EPS and cheap disposable junk. This should be a post about bicycles….now get off my lawn
“Nice to see the choices we’ve afforded their burgeoning middle class via our addictions to EPS and cheap disposable junk.”
How do you figure? Those cars were designed in China and built in China by the Chinese for the Chinese.
Besides your raging jealousy is misdirected. China would be happy to sell you those cars too and at quite reasonable prices but they can’t because protectionism. Direct your ire at your own government. And at American manufacturers who could offer you something comperable and affordable but don’t.
“This should be a post about bicycles”
Because damnit, nice, fancy things should only be for Americans!
Everyone else: Qu’ils mangent de la brioche!
> How do you figure? Those cars were designed in China and built in China by the Chinese for the Chinese
You’re being purposely obtuse. China lifted millions of people out of poverty by selling cheap manufacturing to “the west”. But you know this, just like you also know the reason why the US implemented tariffs.
The point is that China isn’t deliberately selling us crap while keeping all the good stuff for itself as was implied.
“But you know this, just like you also know the reason why the US implemented tariffs.”
Yes, protecionism as I said:
FACT SHEET: President Biden Takes Action to Protect American Workers and Businesses from China’s Unfair Trade Practices
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/05/14/fact-sheet-president-biden-takes-action-to-protect-american-workers-and-businesses-from-chinas-unfair-trade-practices/
Protecting American workers and BUSINESSES from competition from cheap, well made Chinese products (emphasis mine).
CIA – EPA – FBI – M-O-U-S-E…
Too bad an automaker currently in the North American market doesn’t make something like this. I guess the new Ram is the closest we have so far. I think these would suit the North American lifestyle much better than a pure BEV.
That M-Her0 thing out-Dartzs Dartz. I wonder if there’s an optional panda skin interior.
I’ll keep beating my lonely drum that continuously publishing stories about how great Chinese cars are is not a good look for the site.
I haven’t seen a single article about how great they are. All I see is a bunch of sales adds about Temu cars that I wouldn’t let a single loved one near for the fear of death.
I certainly didn’t see much in the way of criticism in this article.
Nor do I usually see it when the site highlights how awesome the latest $15,000 spyware-filled deathtrap China has just put on sale is, and bemoaning the idea that we can’t send our life story to the CCP by driving one here.
Feel free to post your links proving these are indeed spyware filled deathtraps.
Exhibit A:
Other than including (absurdly) larger batteries and gas tanks, I don’t see what is so advanced about any of these. I assume they’re using the latest battery tech and all, but that hardly makes the i3 and Volt “Stone Age”.
Not only is the article full of un-critical praise, it’s straight up hyberbolic.
Why? I mean can’t they make nice cars for their market? Now way we’ll ever get them at those prices. It also give our OEM’s a kick in the butt to make something nice at a good price point and think less of their share holders
Anyone is welcome to think whatever they want about the quality of Chinese cars or the desirability of selling them here.
I’m opposed to using the editorial voice of the site to cheerlead for a repressive, adversarial, and authoritarian government and the state-supported companies that make these vehicles.
Is there ANY major automaker in the world that isn’t substantially supported by the state?
I think “supported by the state” carries a different meaning in a centrally planned economy backed by dictatorial rule.
GM and Ford can and do defy the president’s wishes for example. I don’t think any Chinese CEO attempting that trick would last long.
I’ve worked with more than a handful of CEOs of financial companies.
Methinks you are vastly overestimating the rugged individuality of American CEOs as opposed to their “subservient” Chinese counterparts.
CEOs have one job. Going against the ruling party is almost never good for business, wherever in the world they are.
I think fights between automakers and the EPA over emissions and vs NHTSA over safety standards alone prove that statement false.
Fights that are plentiully greased with
bribesPAC contributions are performative acts at best.British Leland was one example. Even though they were state owned. /s
Not disagreeing, but I would add there are plenty of folks here who masturbate over all sorts of pro-sports (especially auto racing) that are being used to ‘sports wash’ the reputations of some despicable nations. It just takes a moment to stop and think, but that’s not done too often.
I look at these articles a little differently. These are not celebrating the PRC, but are celebrating ingenuity. They should be inspiring better innovation in engineering and design in our markets, not inspiring supporting human rights abuses. It’s never a good idea to underestimate your adversaries. Even if you might need to emulate them occasionally. Arrogance is weakness.
I think that point could have been made without the fawning praise, and I admit that some of my criticism here really comes from past articles that more explicitly advocate for Chinese cars to be sold here. That stance isn’t inspiring innovation in our market, it’s admitting that the price of selling out our auto industry and national defense is worth it for a few thousand in cheaper MSRP.
“it’s admitting that the price of selling out our auto industry and national defense is worth it for a few thousand in cheaper MSRP.”
Why not? We bought hundreds of millions of dollars worth of cheap laptops for the USAF from Toshiba, a company that had a few years before admitted to and been heavily sanctioned for selling highly sensitive ultraquiet submarine propeller technology to our mortal nemesis the Soviet Union:
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/the-toshiba-kongsberg-case
https://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/02/business/toshiba-case-delays-us-contracts.html
At first Toshiba tried to finger France for the leak but to no avail. Oh there was outrage! Congress made a big show of smashing up Toshiba products! Toshiba executives even served time! Imagine that!
But in the end lobbying happened, (presumably) palms were greased and congress bought somewhat cheaper Toshiba laptops instead of Dell or IBM laptops to save a few bucks. Laptops from a company that had just sold us out to the KGB.
That sounds like a compelling reason not to repeat the mistakes of the past.
But the SAVINGS!!
I don’t think its about how great they are (they likely aren’t) as opposed to how our market absolutely stifles innovation and new thinking. I’m a Hybrid convert and honestly wish mine had more EV only range. At least on paper, any of these could meet my needs and it is frustrating that there is nothing comparable in our North American market. The Volt and i3 were both killed on the vine.
I urge you to reread and focus on how many times words like “awesome”, “advanced”, “cool” etc are used to describe these vehicles without a hint of pushback.
I wish more PHEVs were available here too, but not at the cost of letting China in.
I took your advisement and agree on some points. I believe our Tycho is a Chinese national so maybe more judicial editing is called for. My overall thrust was, why can’t we have similar cars here?
Is he not a Dutchman who simply lived in China for a long time? if I remember right he worked in and keeps up with its transport sector.
That drum sure sounds a lot like sinophobia and fearmongering
Tell me, in your worldview, are there any countries whose behavior makes them so opposed to Western ideals and so adversarial to our interests that they are allowed to be criticized?
Or would you have been one of those who said anti-Nazis were just prejudiced against Germans and fearmongering?
Ask a Uyghur how they feel.
It’s a real dicey pissing match to get into when your competition is the US
“The US and China are equally bad” is certainly a take, and your previous comment definitely makes more sense knowing that you’ve swallowed that degree of propaganda.
Oh they’re not equal by any stretch, we’ve committed much worse crimes and continue to perpetuate evil at home and abroad. I’m more concerned with fixing our own problems before pointing the finger at anyone else.
LMAO
We don’t need to be perfect (and certainly aren’t) to clear the bar of “clearly better than an oppressive communist dictatorship that murders its own citizens”
Again even if we were clearing that bar and China wasn’t, that’s not an achievement. We have dire issues at home and we’re not even attempting to keep up with our biggest competitor while also trying to antagonize them. It’s like we’d rather have another Cold War instead of advancing ahead of China or genuinely attempting to have an alliance with them. Our criticisms are never going to be taken seriously on the international stage as things stand right now though.
Our moral bank account is in positive territory, theirs is definitely negative. Or in other words, where would a Uyghur in a concentration camp rather live?
Our moral bank account is in positive territory? Jesus that’s laughable. Currently funding a genocide, still full of regressive and oppressive legislation and getting worse by the day, and a full roster of international meddling and warmongering throughout its entire history, and military bases across the globe. I don’t understand how any American can be delusional enough to think we have a leg to stand on.
“I don’t understand how any American can be delusional enough to think we have a leg to stand on.”
Because a lot of Americans are still using Reagan’s map:
https://bostonraremaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/BRM3036-World-According-to-Reagan_lowres-3000×2296.jpg
Gen X yearns for the halcyon days of Cold War tensions and 50’s revivalism
I don’t exactly disagree, but accurate information about Chinese-market cars in English isn’t the easiest thing to come by. This is interesting stuff.
Is this accurate? If someone wrote an article with this much uncut praise of the automakers currently operating in the US I think they’d get a lot of side-eye regarding the lack of anything resembling balance. Most likely there would be accusations of money changing hands.
This being the Autopian I don’t think that’s what is going on. More likely they’re trying to pull in a more global audience by unconditionally praising their vehicles, but that doesn’t make this article any more accurate.
One thing that I do with The Autotpian would discuss is *why* Chinese EVs are so cheap. The amount of cheap capital and subsidies are allowing these things to be sold far below what any non Chinese automaker could make it for.
Maybe because US companies pass cheap capital and subsidies onto executive compensation and shareholders instead of customers as lower prices.
Nah. It can’t be capitalism. It’s gotta be that darn slave labor.
Just like decades of US oil and gas subsidies? Right? I’m no Chinese apologist but “government subsidies” is not the slam dunk that most Americans believe if you expand your timeline beyond the last 20 years.
Nearly all of the articles you refer to are written by a non-American who is also not Chinese. I think it makes sense for editorial purposes to allow his 3rd party voice to be heard essentially as is. He likes the tech, he (wrong or right) isn’t concerned about the politics. Never hearing about these vehicles wouldn’t make me more educated. Constantly being hammered upon by an international car website that China = bad for America would make me stop reading here. Too political. Tycho just talks about the cars, which I appreciate. I learned things about tech even from this simple article.
You reference Nazis in various responses below. Don’t forget, we, the US, secretly hired many of Hitler’s scientists, Project Paperclip I believe? Because the tech was good. The US recognized that good tech is good tech, and once you know about that tech, you can start finding ways to disassociate the tech itself from the financing that brought about its origins.
This tech is good, and exists now, regardless of its origins. So shouldn’t we know about it, so we can find a way to make use of it? That shouldn’t interfere with any attempts to improve the lot of those oppressed. I’m not saying import the cars. But I am saying we can learn about the tech, and even admire that which is done well.
“Don’t forget, we, the US, secretly hired many of Hitler’s scientists, Project Paperclip I believe?”
Oh it gets much, MUCH worse than that!
Nikolaus Barbie (25 October 1913 – 25 September 1991) was a German officer of the SS and SD who worked in Vichy France during World War II. He became known as the “Butcher of Lyon” for having personally tortured prisoners—primarily Jews and members of the French Resistance—as the head of the Gestapo in Lyon. After the war, United States intelligence services employed him for his anti-communist efforts and aided his escape to Bolivia, where he advised the dictatorial regime on how to repress opposition through torture. In 1983, the United States apologised to France for the U.S. Counterintelligence Corps helping him escape to Bolivia,[2] aiding Barbie’s escape from an outstanding arrest warrant.[3]
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Barbie
The Chinese market, in terms of units sold and population, is the biggest market in the world. What is happening there is a foreshadowing of what will happen eventually elsewhere.
So I think it’s actually a GREAT look for the Autopian… They’re not taking the insular attitude that only America/Europe/Japan can only make good stuff.
And I wouldn’t say these articles are about ‘how great China is’. It’s simply reporting what is going on in one of the most important (or THE most important) auto markets in the world.
I think it’s impressive that Autopian has a man on the ground covering cars in China. I’ll also make the assumption that in order to have such a granular view of the Chinese market, the writer probably doesn’t have his finger on the pulse of the American or European market.
The article opened my (our) eyes up as to what’s going on in the rest of the world. Where it lacked, if I’m being critical and I am, is that it ignores the realities of the American and other markets where access to gasoline, diesel and electric power is ubiquitous. There is absolutely no reason to carry around 1000 miles of extra fuel in the United States. It’s doubtful anyone would buy such a vehicle here, at least in any volume.
Also, the article might have posed the apparent issue, that the Chinese are, like Americans, as big into marketing and hyperbole as technology. For example, there is certainly a lot more stuff (fuel and engine) in these cars than a Volt or i3 but I don’t see how that makes them technically advanced. At least one car had 300 plus hp of electric power and a big 2.0 liter turbo. I wonder how the Chinese market that one? Two lanes wide and 20 meters long, unexplained fires…If you’ve got a problem, take it up with the People’s Liberation Army!
I enjoy reporting from China, Australia and the greater world and applaud Autopian for its coverage. Autopian might consider editing “other market” articles with information – as opposed to editorializing – from this side of the planet. For example, the sentence, Understandably, cars with 1,000 miles of range might find a tough market in the USA, would help balance the article.
In short, you would be hard pressed to find this kind of coverage in your run of the mill auto rag (website, blog, whatever you call a publication these days.) Kudos Autopian!
The most surprising thing here is that no one in the US is trying to build anything like this.
That’s all I can think about. I’ve got a 2012 Wrangler unlimited. I’ve loved that car for 130,000+ miles….except its mpg. The 4xe looked like it would be my savior…but 21 miles of electric range is a joke. I’m not even looking for triple digits e-range like these Chinese vehicles are producing. I’d take 50 miles (although preferably 75). I don’t know why the PHEVs have such shitty range here in the states.
The 4xe uses the battery from a Pacifica hybrid, which kicked off development AT LEAST 10 years ago, and probably closer to 15. It’s stuck with specs from when batteries just cost a lot more.
1000 times this. The Volt was heading there.
The Ram Rev is this. The Volt, pre-plug in and last gen Plug in version was also this, though I do not really see those as stone age really in comparison. the real benefit now is the battery costs and tech have improved somewhat, though with inflation, you might not realize that in the price realm as much.
I think the only thing close now would be the Ram Ramcharger, my vote for the worst named vehicle of 2025.
The reality of these types of vehicles is that they are about the most impractical and expensive vehicle you could make, so no surprise to me that no one offers one here and only Stelantis has anything similar in the works. Though to be fair the Ramcharger could make sense for someone who tows longer distances frequently.
Impractical and expensive has never stopped the local automakers. At least not for a while.
Or more like the Volt. I think 50-80 miles is about the sweet spot for range-extended PHEVs. That’s enough to cover basically all around-town driving with overnight charging. I actually don’t know why these and the Ramcharger have such big batteries. It’s a big increase in cost and weight and probably only cuts gas by a gallon or three a year for most people. Or possibly even less, since the ICE usually needs to run a bit for maintenance.
I haven’t been keeping up—I’m a bit surprised Changan has a PHEV (or EREV) ute. Aren’t utes still pretty unpopular in the Mainland? Is the Hunter really cheap enough as a ‘work vehicle’ against more basic JMC or GWM utes? Or are there incentives for businesses to start using NEV utes as well? Maybe the fuel savings alone will make the Hunter a good business investment.
It would be interesting if Changan started exporting them to Australia or the Middle East since there aren’t really any Western utes that offer PHEV powertrains in that size class. Or perhaps Stellantis will start using that EREV powertrain in the Peugeot and Fiat utes that Changan makes for them—I really like the Peugeot Landtrek, they’re a nice looking ute and seem well-made enough.
The world is a global marketplace and we best admit it and get on board with it fast. Any one of these could cover all of my regular weekly driving on electric only, with the security of the range extender for my not infrequent longer trips.