Copy China and stuff them a combustion engine

The small electric car has a pure physical problem: the batteries are small.

And that limitation defines everything. Define so many things that, precisely, make the best option to decide for an electric car in the least attractive to the general public. Because a too small battery forces too important restrictions. Solution: Embute a combustion engine. And the next to do it is Hyundai.

That? Yeah, Hyundai has confirmed A presentation for investors that in 2027 will have an electrical model of extended autonomy. A REEV or, what is the same, a completely electric car that uses the combustion engine as a way of assisting the car when it runs out of electricity.

What differentiates it from a PHEV? The PHEV are plug -in hybrids They can adopt different schemes. The most logical thing is to have a car with an electric autonomy of more than 50 kilometers that prioritizes this aspect within the city and behaves like a hybrid to use (“to the Toyota”) outside it.

The plug -in hybrid, in addition, usually combines its electric motor and the combustion to, relevant, increase the power of the set. Traditionally they have been cars that in hybrid mode prioritized the combustion engine on the electric and had that “kick” of the electric in case of trouble. That is, it was the electric one that supported gasoline.

Things are changing. But in recent years, the combustion car scheme, hybrid, plug and electric hybrid has changed. This is because the borders between these four technologies have been diluted. The obligation to have A hybrid car of more than 80 kilometers of autonomy To collect the disappeared help to purchase in Germany has helped the plug -in hybrids increase their battery more and more.

And has also resulted in various solutions. Renault, for example, has a scheme where the car can act as series hybrid or parallel. What does this mean? To simplify things a lot, the combustion engine can move the wheels but can also act as an electric generator that feeds the battery and it is the latter that sends electricity to the electric motors that end up moving the wheels.

This last option has two main advantages. The first is that the touch of the vehicle is very similar to that of an electric car, with a softness of this technology. The second is that the engine works in the most efficient rank of revolutions, which allows it to get a higher fuel performance.

What is a Reev? In the background, it is a plug -in hybrid. But to understand it you have to scratch a little further. The ultimate goal of an extended autonomy electric is to use it as if it were an electricity the vast majority of the time. The combustion engine is only there to help so its power is usually low. It is an emergency tool.

The advantage for a small electric electric is that the car can be used in completely electric mode every day. The combustion engine does not come into operation, it only remains hidden under the hood. The case may, the client can leave the city without fear of autonomy. The most efficient thing is to load the car and use it as an electric but if necessary, gasoline is there to act as a generator.

This is the case, for example, of Mazda MX-30. In this case, the car uses a rotating engine for a vehicle designed by and to be used as an electric. The newspaper is not only an eccentricity of Mazda, it also allows the Japanese company to mount a Really Powerful Motor (74 hp) For a minimum space, adding very little weight and with hardly any vibrations. All these aspects are differential in a rotating engine.

Arriving from Asia. Mazda’s case is not unique. In Europe we have seen it with the BMW I3 RexFor example. But there is a clear trend from Asian manufacturers to produce extended autonomy electric. To Mazda and now to Hyundai, You have to add Leapmotor To give only one example.

And it is that among the Chinese manufacturers is usual See extended electrical autonomy versions. It is a very attractive solution for those who aspire to use the car in its vast majority of the time in city but need to count on the assurance that they can go beyond.

By references, there are numerous in the market. There are options for Li Auto, Aito or Changan (the company that has produced the Mazda 6e). It has even been rumored that one of the next Xiaomi models could come with this technology.

Why is it especially interesting? The electric car, as we said, has a serious problem with size. If you just want the car to move through the city and assume it that getting it out of there can be A small torture even though in few occasionsthe electric is the perfect option: without noise, without vibrations, an instant couple and a ridiculous consumption.

But who is looking for a small and cheap car, the battery is the main impediment to reduce the price or, if necessary, to have sufficient autonomy to, if necessary, to have that “electric car for everything”.

With an extended autonomy electric, Hyundai ensures that it can have a lower cost car and with the same performance as an equivalent electric one but with half of its battery. Thus, in fact, he has demonstrated it in a presentation with images such as those that can be consulted in Insideevs.

Europe? The big question is if we will see this version in Europe. At the moment, we know that Hyundai has opted for this option for the American market and, in fact, has been in New York where he has made his presentation. The presentation letter is clear: autonomy of 900 kilometers.

You have to understand that in the United States The recharge network is poorer and less dense that the European, which is further delaying the hug to the electric car. In such a big country, Tesla continues to lead For something as simple as its recharge network is much better than that of the rivals.

Photo | Hyundai

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