At the end of 2023, Li Xiang once posted on Weibo to boldly predict that car companies that insist on multi-level PHEVs will switch to the range extender route in 2025. Li Xiang said this at the time, and he couldn't help but be suspected of selling melons and boasting. Because Li Auto was enjoying a unique show at that time, the sales volume in November reached 41,030 units, and the cumulative sales volume of Li Auto from January to November 2023 was 325677 units, completing the annual target of 300,000 units in 2023 ahead of schedule. At that time, the M7 was on the market for more than two months, and the delivery volume reached 15,000 units in November, which was also on the eve of a sales explosion.
With Li Xiang's style of acting, he was in the stage of high spirits at that time, so it was not surprising to say such things.
Now, the development of the extended-range route may be a little earlier than the situation in 2025. Because we see that more and more car companies have begun to transform.
It can be seen from the sales ranking of new car-making forces in March 2024 that the top three brands are all taking the extended range route. Needless to say, the world and ideals have always been the "nail households" of the range extender, and they have also become the ones who carry them forward. In third place, the C10 and C11 cars became the pillars of sales, and the two SUVs with large rear seats, both of which have range-extender versions. The same is true for the fourth-ranked Deep Blue car, which relies on the Deep Blue SL3 and Deep Blue S7 to dominate the world, and both cars also have extended range versions. Last on this list is VOYAH, which also has a range extender model.
In other words, in the top 10 list of new power brands, five have already launched range extender models, which already shows that range extender is in full bloom in 2024.
So the question is, why can the range extension, which is considered by many people in the industry to be backward, be widely recognized by the market, to be precise, by consumers?
The answer is clearly no.
It has opened up a new competitive situation
To put it simply, a range extender is a series plug-in hybrid technology in which the engine does not participate in the power supply, and only generates electricity to the generator when the battery is running out of power, and then drives the vehicle to work. In terms of driving experience, an extended-range electric vehicle is an electric vehicle.
The plug-in hybrid model has two drive systems: an engine and an electric motor. They can work separately or together, and they can also drive the engine to generate electricity through the engine, just like the extended-range route. This technical route has a wider range of applications, not only solves range anxiety, but can also be used in more complex working conditions.
Relatively speaking, the extended-range car does seem a little "single" and "backward". At the same time, because the battery capacity of the previous range extender technology is not large. The first-generation Wolanda released in 2007 has a battery capacity of only 16 kWh and a pure electric range of only a few tens of kilometers. The battery capacity of the current extended-range model has been greatly improved, with the battery capacity of the Ideal L7 reaching 42.8kWh, and the battery capacity of the M7 reaching 40kWh, and the pure electric range is also more than 200 kilometers.
At the same time, the wide application of the 1.5L turbocharged engine has also further improved the performance of the model, meeting the needs of consumers for endurance and driving performance. Combined, these advantages greatly enhance the product strength of extended-range vehicles.
In addition, in terms of riding experience and driving experience, Chinese new energy brands have also made breakthroughs. In particular, after adding refrigerators, color TVs, large sofas and other configurations, the vehicle is not only a travel tool, but also a brand label such as daddy car and movable home, which has attracted the attention of a large number of consumers and created a new competitive situation for Li Auto.
Therefore, the popularity of extended-range vehicles is supported by both technological progress and the gradual rise of market demand.
The entry level is lower and the acceptance is higher
Although the extended-range power is considered to be "backward in technology", driven by Li Auto, there are more and more models equipped with extended-range power, and they are well received by consumers.
Li Auto achieved a sales explosion in 2023, with its deliveries reaching 376,000 units in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 182.2%. The sales volume of the Ideal L7, Ideal L8 and Ideal L9 were 134,100, 118,000 and 114,400 respectively. When other car companies still only have one hot-selling model, Li Auto has three models at the same time, all of which have become "explosive".
You must know that the prices of these three models are all above 300,000 yuan, of which the price range of L9 reaches 400,000-500,000 yuan.
It is precisely under the drive of Li Auto that more and more brands have joined the camp of range extension, including new car-making forces and traditional car companies. For example, Deep Blue Auto currently has two models, namely the mid-size car Deep Blue SL03 and the mid-size SUV Deep Blue S7, both of which are available in extended range versions. According to official data, Deep Blue Automobile's cumulative sales in 2023 will be 136912 units. Founded in April 2022, Deep Blue Automobile has sold more than 100,000 units in more than a year, which can be described as a rapid development, and the Wenjie brand is even more outstanding, also achieving rapid growth in sales in a very short period of time, and in 2024, it has surpassed the ideal, and has become the sales champion of the new power brand for three consecutive months.
It can be seen that the extended-range models on the market have captured the hearts of many consumers.
From the point of view of durability and reliability, the structure of the extended-range model is simpler at first due to the difference in operating principle, while the plug-in hybrid model is equipped with a high-efficiency engine that can be used to generate electricity and drive the wheels together with the electric motor, and the entire hybrid system is significantly more complex. The former is obviously relatively more stable because of its simple structure.
And in the same class, the fuel consumption level of the two is not much different. For example, the Deep Blue S7 Extended Range Edition and the BYD Corvette 07, which are also mid-size SUVs, have a fuel consumption of 4.95L/100km for the former and 5.8L/100km for the BYD Corvette 07. In terms of price, the entry price of the former is 149,900, and the entry price of the latter is 179,800. It can be said that the dark blue S7 has lower fuel consumption and is cheaper. In the case of lower fuel consumption and cheaper prices, it is natural that someone will choose a simple and reliable model.
Here, we must explain that the engine of the dark blue S07 is weaker than BYD in terms of parameters. That's a matter of opinion.
What I want to say here is that the extended-range technology has the advantages of low cost and low threshold industry to a considerable extent, so it is deeply loved by car companies and has also attracted the attention of consumers.
The people evaluate the car
For car companies, there is a difference between plug-in hybrid and extended range. But for consumers, the difference is clearly not that big. Otherwise, BYD would have dominated the rivers and lakes a long time ago. However, buying a car is a comprehensive consideration, and technology, brand, and experience are indispensable. The Chinese market is huge, and the needs of consumers are also very diverse, and no one can dominate the market. It's up to who can create a better product and a better experience, which is fundamental.