BMW could offer extended-range versions of some of its electric models

With the brand’s sales in the Chinese market especially in mind, the Bavarian manufacturer is currently evaluating whether it makes sense to offer extended-range versions of some of its electric models. The main candidates to incorporate a combustion engine, which would act as a power generator to recharge the vehicle’s battery, would be the larger series, such as the X5 or the i7, since these have enough space to integrate the entire system.

Although today this is nothing more than a report published in specialised German media and, for the moment, BMW has not issued any official statement on the matter, one of the company’s representatives, when asked about this possibility, did say that “BMW continuously analyses usage patterns, customer needs and market developments”. This therefore leaves the door open for this to happen in the future.

If an extended-range model were ultimately put into production, BMW would be the first German manufacturer to add this type of vehicle, which is currently so popular in the Chinese market, to its range. Although it is true that the Volkswagen Group has already explored this possibility, including the Scout platform in the US market with possible derivatives under its Audi brand, it has not yet launched any extended-range model.

China forces BMW to make a move

As we already mentioned at the beginning of this article, the Chinese market is the main reason behind the possible launch of extended-range BMW models. Currently, sales of German premium brands are falling in that market, while local manufacturers such as Li Auto, Avatr and IM Motors have achieved remarkable success with their extended-range models, also known as EREVs. Even Xpeng, until recently focused exclusively on pure electric vehicles, has now added this option.

It is also worth bearing in mind the preference of Chinese drivers for large vehicles with long wheelbases, which makes it easier to incorporate a combustion engine alongside the electric drive system, thanks to the greater space available.

The main advantage of extended-range vehicles is precisely their range, allowing drivers to enjoy the benefits of a pure electric vehicle in everyday use. The smaller battery pack they are fitted with, which compensates for the weight of the additional combustion engine, allows them to travel between 200 and 400 km on a single charge without consuming a single drop of petrol. More than enough for the vast majority of everyday journeys.

The addition of that extra combustion engine does, however, make it possible to undertake occasional long-distance trips with ranges of over a thousand kilometres, far exceeding those of any pure electric vehicle. This is a feature that is very appealing to many Chinese drivers living in rural areas of the country, far from the big cities, and which could also gain traction in North America, where the distances typically travelled are greater than in markets such as Europe and charging infrastructure in some areas is still inadequate.