"It would be nice if the pure electric range could be 400 kilometers and the fuel tank would be smaller", people who have experienced extended/hybrid cars must have felt this way.
Because this kind of car charging is really annoying, it is good to commute closer, and it can be charged once every 2-3 days.
But if you commute to work far away, you have to charge it every 1-2 days - in the absence of a home charge, it is simply torturous.
So the question is, consumers have such a strong need, why don't car companies develop it?
I consulted some automotive industry professionals, and they got to the bottom of it, it's too real!
First of all, we have to understand the history of range extender/hybrid.
01 The history of extended/hybrid vehicles
The history of this type of car can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th century.
At that time, it was still the world of electric cars, and oil cars were just a little beginning. Piper built the first hybrid car and patented it in 1905.
But unfortunately, the oil resources at that time were very abundant, and it was only 1-2 cents per liter of oil.
Therefore. This technology has not been taken seriously.
It was not until the 70s of the 20th century, with the emergence of the oil crisis, that countries around the world began to seek alternative energy sources and more efficient automotive technology, during which this ancient technology was able to "see the light of day".
As a result, some prototypes and small-scale production cars are experimenting with hybrid powertrains.
However, the lack of technology and limited battery life have led to the large-scale application of hybrid vehicles, which is still difficult to deliver.
However, the giant did not abandon this plan, and the ambitious Toyota, after years of hard work, launched the world's first mass-produced hybrid car, the Prius, in 1997, marking the official commercialization of modern hybrid technology.
But in reality, it should be around 2010, with the significant improvement of lithium-ion battery technology, extended/hybrid vehicles began to appear on the stage of history.
To put it bluntly, lithium batteries have become lighter and smaller, and the battery life has also been greatly improved, and consumers and car companies have begun to pay attention to this technology.
So what does this have to do with not making the battery bigger?
02 Why can't you make the battery bigger?
In fact, it has a lot to do with it, because the current battery technology is close to the pure electric range limit of extended/hybrid vehicles.
Taking the ideal L7 as an example, the pure electric range is 210 kilometers, with a 42.8-degree battery, if you want to achieve a range of 400 kilometers, you may need at least a 90-degree battery.
But is this reliable?
On the one hand, the weight of this car is already 2.46 tons, and with the addition of a battery of nearly 50 degrees, the weight will be about 2.7 tons, and the full load mass is close to 3.5 tons.
It can be said that ordinary family cars do not have such awesome tires that can carry such outrageous weight.
On the other hand, the space in the car is limited, pure electric cars can only achieve a maximum of 100 degrees of battery, you bring a fuel system/range extender, and you want to have a 90 degree battery - is this going against the sky?
With this technology, what kind of hybrid/range extension should be developed, and the 200-degree battery will be directly applied to the pure electric car, isn't it fragrant?
After all, with a large battery of this degree, it can run 1,500 kilometers on a single charge, so why develop extended-range/hybrid vehicles?
Of course, even if this problem can be solved, it will bring a fatal wound.
03 What other fatal wounds?
Anyone who has ever used this type of car knows what I'm talking about, that is, the charging speed is too slow - after all, a 40-degree battery is already very slow, and 90 degrees is ridiculously slow.
Although many people have suggested that these cars should also use 800V high-voltage technology, it is really difficult.
Because compared with 400V or ordinary electrical systems, high voltage has higher requirements for the electrical system of the whole vehicle.
Batteries, electronic controls and charging equipment all require additional insulation and safety measures, and at the same time, higher requirements are placed on the battery management system (BMS).
For example, the distance between conductors must be taken into account to prevent arcing, and high-performance silicon carbide (SiC) is needed to effectively manage power flow and improve efficiency.
Otherwise, if it affects the safety of the passengers in the car, the gains outweigh the losses.
Not only that, but high-voltage systems, which tend to exacerbate the heat generation of the battery, require a more efficient thermal management system.
Friends who have used fast charging of mobile phones will be clear, compared with slow charging, the heating of fast charging is very serious.
Therefore, the need for a more complex cooling system design is required along with this technology.
Considering the fuel system of the hybrid and range extender itself, it takes up most of the space, and the above is certainly difficult to achieve.
In addition, some studies have pointed out that the cost of charging equipment and related components for 800V systems can be 20%-30% higher than that of 400V systems.
The accumulation of these problems may lead to the final price of the car will increase by 1.5 times or more, and naturally no car companies are willing to do it.
In general, it is basically impossible for hybrid/extended-range vehicles to make the battery bigger.
Although with the popularity of semi-solid-state batteries, this problem may be solved, but it does not make sense!
After all, the range of pure electric vehicles has an era of 1,000 kilometers, if it really comes, how meaningful is it to buy a hybrid/extended range car?