{"id":84275,"date":"2025-11-24T14:52:17","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T19:52:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=84275"},"modified":"2025-11-24T14:52:17","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T19:52:17","slug":"bmw-range-extender-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=84275","title":{"rendered":"BMW Might Bring Back Range Extenders \u2014 Here\u2019s What We Know So Far"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reports continue to build around BMW\u2019s possible return to the range extender. After previous reports<\/a> suggested the next-generation X5<\/a> may get the Range Extender treatment, now Bloomberg<\/em><\/a> is adding fuel to the story, reporting that BMW is evaluating range-extender variants for top-end models like the X5 and 7 Series, according to people familiar with the company\u2019s strategy. These larger vehicles have the packaging space to fit a compact engine used exclusively as a generator\u2014similar to how BMW configured the old i3 REx<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Why A Range Extender?<\/h3>\n

China explains most of it. BMW\u2019s sales in the region aren\u2019t as strong as they once were, but the country remains the company\u2019s single largest market. Last year, 29.2% of all BMW Group deliveries (including MINI and Rolls-Royce) went to Chinese customers\u2014more than the United States and Germany combined. And China\u2019s taste for extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) is skyrocketing.<\/p>\n

According to Automotive News, citing the China Passenger Car Association, EREV sales grew nearly 50% in the first five months of 2025. Local heavyweights like BYD\u2019s Yangwang U8, Aito M9, and Li Auto L9 have turned the range-extender layout into a popular middle ground between pure EVs and combustion SUVs.<\/p>\n

BMW abandoned the i3 REX years ago, but the market conditions have changed dramatically. A next-generation X5 running a highly efficient generator engine at constant rpm could resonate with buyers who want EV driving most of the time but refuse to deal with long-distance charging anxiety.<\/p>\n

Bloomberg\u2019s reporting notes that American buyers\u2014especially in the large SUV segments\u2014have also shown interest in the range-extender format. The upcoming Ramcharger pickup and Volkswagen Scout projects use similar thinking: an electric drivetrain backed by a small combustion generator to extend range without sacrificing towing or long-distance capability. In Europe, future EREV classification could exempt these vehicles from the 2035 combustion ban, depending on how regulations evolve. It\u2019s far from guaranteed, but the possibility adds another reason for BMW to explore REX models.<\/p>\n

A Small Engine as a Dedicated Generator<\/h3>\n