Since the birth of new energy vehicles, the debate about the technical route has never stopped. Li Xiang, the founder of Li Auto, once said that car brands that adopt multi-gear PHEVs will switch to range extender within 1-2 years. This controversial remark seems to have pushed the range extender and multi-gear hybrid technology to the "ring", but does it have to be distinguished between the two? Not necessarily.
In addition to bringing rich benefits to Li Auto, range extension technology, with its relatively low R&D cost and less technical difficulty, has become the first choice of many new car companies. Unlike other hybrid technologies, the extended-range model uses the engine as a generator to charge the battery. This makes the vehicle perform well in terms of quietness, power response, and energy consumption values when the battery is sufficient. However, in extreme feed-in situations, weak power, high noise and energy consumption problems are exposed.
The multi-speed hybrid technology adopts a series-parallel hybrid form to achieve better power and energy consumption control. Taking the Lynk & Co EM-P as an example, its super extended range electric solution strives to drive with pure electric in ordinary road conditions, bringing stronger inductance to users, and when continuous power feeding, the electric hybrid engine can be directly driven or driven in parallel with the motor, ensuring the performance of the vehicle in terms of power and quietness.
It can be seen that whether it is a range extension or a multi-gear hybrid, they all have their own advantages and applicable scenarios. With its lower cost and longer pure electric range, the extended range meets the needs of consumers with limited budgets but high requirements for battery life. The multi-gear hybrid, with its more advanced technology and better power performance, meets the driving needs of all directions and all scenarios, so the two are not an either/or relationship, and it is the best policy to choose the technology and model that suits your own needs.