Range extender (vehicle)

As a Range Extender, dt extended range, referred to additional units in an electric vehicle, increase the range of the vehicle. The most commonly used range extenders are combustion engines that drive a generator, which in turn supplied battery and electric motor with electricity. Less common are additional accumulators, which are carried about as a battery - trailer.

Problem

Due to limited battery capacity and limited loading speed electric vehicles reach today usually shorter ranges than internal combustion engine vehicles. When electric car is exacerbated that the vehicle only after a long charging time ( typically> 1-2 hours) is ready for use ( in contrast to the very rapid refueling for conventional vehicles ). With range extenders thus the time in which the vehicle can be continuously used is increased (the time between charging cycles ), and hence the range.

In daily shuttle the electric vehicle without the range extender can operate.

Classification

Electric vehicles with range extender correspond to the diagram beside the drive concepts in columns H and J. In column H there is a range extender module from an internal combustion engine (ICE, Internal Combustion Engine ), in column J there is a fuel cell, a concept for the lack of infrastructure does not have a serial status.

If an internal combustion engine - generator system is used as a range extender, one also speaks of a so-called serial hybrid drive. Here, the mechanical energy of the engine is not used directly, but only in electrical and then converted back into mechanical energy. They embark on efficiency losses, however, the combustion engine can be run at its optimal operating point, which may compensate for this disadvantage again.

Parallel hybrid

Leistungsverzweigender hybrid

In a vehicle with a parallel hybrid drive, the engine also provides feed. If the vehicle is a plug -in hybrid, the battery can also be recharged via the mains. Otherwise, all the energy used to drive is applied from the internal combustion engine - the electric motor and the battery is used only as a buffer system (such as to the brake force recovery). Emission -free operation is not possible.

Series vehicles with range extender

The Opel Ampera, identical to the Chevrolet Volt, a vehicle with a range extender. It can be driven in pure electric mode up to top speed, but it has a very limited range of up to about 60 km. The four-cylinder petrol engine with 1.4 l displacement optionally provides electric power for driving and battery charging available ( serial operation ), at higher speeds it is mechanically coupled with activated Range Exter Santander operation to the drive train (parallel operation ). Details are described under Voltec propulsion.

The BMW i3 is one of the first electric vehicles that are purchased with an optional range extender. As such, serves a two -cylinder inline engine. The same engine is used in a more powerful version since 2012 in the scooter BMW C 650 GT and BMW C 600 Sport. If required, the range extender charges the battery via a generator and extends with its 9-liter tank, the range of about 120-150 km. The Range Extender can be started manually. It automatically start if the state of charge of the battery has dropped below a certain threshold and is only charging the battery.

Prototypes with Range Extender

  • The automotive KSPG operates a developed jointly with the FEV GmbH range extender for electric vehicles in the test operation. The test vehicle has is a Fiat 500 To the lowest possible noise and vibration to achieve as a base vibration compensation used. The unit consists of a two -cylinder gasoline engine in a V design, all components are pre-assembled the fuel tank and the radiator as ready to install module up on.
  • The FEV ( a development company in Aachen ) is based in their Fiat 500 -based electric vehicle prototype (2008), a range extender module that can produce 20 kW of electrical power, thus extending the reach while driving, but at a reduced speed. For acoustic and space- specific reasons for this is a Wankel engine for use.
  • In the study CX -75 of Jaguar Cars from 2010 jet turbines used in the rear of the vehicle to generate electricity.
  • Audi also sat in the announced A1 e -Tron on a Wankel engine as Reichweiternverlängerer. Its launch has been postponed indefinitely.
  • MAHLE Powertrain has a compact, flexible and cost- optimized range extender developed which delivers maximum power of up to 30 kW. This has already been successfully installed A1 demonstration vehicle in an Audi.

Drive exchange concepts instead of Range Extension

  • In the prototype, Opel Twin ( 1992), the whole electric drive module could replace it with a conventional drive module with an internal combustion engine.
  • Another concept, not always having to also transport the engine for range extension, followed the Mindset AG, who wanted to make the engine easy to remove. The development was largely discontinued in 2009.

Concepts for electric drives with large ranges that do not require internal combustion engine

  • The company Better Place in Israel and Denmark desired starting the development of an exchange infrastructure for accumulators. For some vehicles, Renault has developed and distributed to the production stage. In May 2013, the company has, however, made ​​in Israel to file for bankruptcy in order to initiate an orderly liquidation after last financial negotiations had failed previously.
  • Tesla Motors creates in conjunction with a relatively high electric range by a large battery on board the cars, in addition to its own vehicles, proprietary quick-charging infrastructure ( Tesla Supercharger Network). So is the need for a range extender can be avoided.
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