The future is always on its way, even if, in the automotive world lately, not especially punctual. Some predictions had it that the American fleet would be mostly electric by 2035. That aggressive timetable has been delayed by a triple whammy of pricing, misinformation and political whiplash.
Years of planning by automakers have been scrapped, with tens of billions of dollars briskly written off by accountants. Yet most automakers still believe electrification is inevitable. The next era is likely to include extended-range electric vehicles, or, inelegantly, EREVs.
They make particular sense in North America. To understand why, it’s best to know your electrification acronyms.
HEVs (hybrid electric vehicles)
These are the classic, with Toyota’s Prius being the gold standard. In essence, a gasoline engine is paired with electric motors powered by a small battery. With no charge port, energy is replenished through regenerative braking and coasting. Power is routed to the wheels through a transmission — unless it’s Honda’s system or Nissan’s forthcoming e-Power, where the engine turns a generator and electric motors drive the wheels.
BEVs (battery electric vehicles)
Think Tesla, though most automakers now offer electric-motor cars. Unless it’s Porsche’s Taycan, these vehicles dispense with multispeed transmissions and promise reduced maintenance — no oil changes, less brake wear. These vehicles offer the luxury of fueling at home, library-quiet operation and thrill-ride acceleration. But the large batteries needed to reach the 300-mile target automakers deem necessary to calm consumer anxiety are costly slabs of lithium and cobalt. That said, statistically, most Americans average 40 miles a day. But know these vehicles are poor at towing: Weight and aerodynamics can cut E.V. range in half.
PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles)
Think of the late great Chevrolet Volt. To traditional hybrids, PHEVs add a charge port, larger batteries and more powerful electric motors. Tooling around town as E.V.s, they seamlessly revert to hybrid operation when the battery is depleted. Many of these vehicles can cover daily driving on electrons, but ranges vary. The 2026 Toyota RAV4 PHEV is rated for up to 52 miles of electric range. If you could get one, a $565,000 Ferrari 849 Testarossa manages 10 (albeit with more verve). These types of cars can slash gas consumption (my wife typically fills her Volt’s gas tank three times annually), but there’s evidence that some owners never plug them in — eliminating the intended efficiency.
Now for EREVs
Extended-range electrics are much like plug-in hybrids with important differences. Batteries get the Goldilocks treatment, larger than plug-in packs, smaller than in the all-electrics. The significant battery range means most travel is done with powerful refined electric motors. The engine and generator fire up less and only to produce electricity. There’s no transmission: The wheels are driven exclusively by electric motors.
Since batteries account for some 40 percent of the cost of an electric car, smaller packs offer meaningful savings. The engine runs at peak efficiency, helping reliability. Maintenance is reduced, but EREVs still require oil changes and they’re more complex than electric cars. Initially, EREVs will cost more than gas and hybrid cars.
These cars aren’t new. BMW’s avant-garde i3 E.V. was available with a range extender. But with a spent battery, the loud two-cylinder struggled to generate sufficient current for demanding power needs, like freeway travel and steep mountain grades. And the tiny fuel tank limited the range. Modern versions should improve that dynamic, but running solely on the generator may degrade performance. This fact, and the lower cost of electricity, should encourage owners to charge using a plug.
Battery advances may render these super-hybrids a transitional technology. For many drivers, a fully electric vehicle already makes a lot of sense, offering refinement, convenience and lower operating costs. Plus, the commercial charging infrastructure is improving rapidly. But Americans, who generally drive much farther than Asian and Europeans, are ruled by an “I might need” sensibility. For those wanting the smooth, immediate oomph of electric drive, along with the warm fuzzy reassurance of gasoline availability, EREVs can’t come soon enough.
The Hyundai Motor Group, including Kia and Genesis, has signaled it’s bringing extended-range electrics to market. Nissan is rumored to be reviving the XTerra S.U.V. with a range extender. The transmission giant ZF Friedrichshafen is expected to deliver turnkey range-extender systems to automakers this year to shorten development times.
Ford, Jeep, Ram and Volkswagen’s revived Scout brand have concrete EREV announcements. Notice these are truck marques? No coincidence. This tech is particularly well suited to pickups and S.U.V. use. Their large size accommodates the additional hardware.
The tech solves towing issues. Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T and Tesla Cybertruck owners know that hauling heavy loads demolishes range, and few commercial charging stations are designed with trailers in mind. EREVs don’t need chargers. Operating quietly, efficiently, even cheaply on Con Edison fuel during the week, they can switch to ethyl so they don’t become boat anchors when towing a Boston Whaler to Tampa Bay. Road trip stress disappears, too.
The first extended-range electrics to hit showrooms should be Jeep’s Grand Wagoneer REEV and the RAM 1500 REV from Stellantis. Due in late 2026, these body-on-frame trucks feature a V6 engine turning a 130-kilowatt generator that’s a wingman to the 92 kilowatt-hour battery. This setup should eliminate the power bog loathed by BMW i3 owners.
A senior vice president for propulsion system engineering at Stellantis, Micky Bly, said that “our range extender E.V. powertrain delivers a premium experience with smooth and instantaneous power delivery, and the muscle to tow, in a configuration that helps reduce battery size, weight and cost,” compared with an all-electric car.
Stellantis claims 145 miles of battery travel. Total range? Well over 600 miles. This Ram’s 647 horsepower means a 2,600-pound payload capability and up to seven tons of towing. If only in daydreams, these rigs are bought for their potential — road tripping, towing campers and off-roading (remember, there are no Superchargers on the Rubicon Trail). Survivalists, take note: The powertrain doubles as a home backup power source if the grid goes down.
After suspending production on its all-electric F-150 Lightning, Ford will use the same name for an extended-range electric. Doug Field, Ford’s chief E.V., digital and design officer, said: “Our next-generation Lightning EREV is every bit as revolutionary as the Lightning BEV. It keeps everything customers love — 100 percent electric power delivery, sub-five-second acceleration — and adds an estimated 700-plus-mile range and tows like a locomotive.” The smart money for delivery is early 2028, when the next-generation F-150 is expected.
Less is known about the tech from Scout Motors, but the company projects that the body-on-frame vehicle with a solid rear axle enables up to 10,000 pounds of towing for the upcoming Terra pickup, 7,000 for its Traveler S.U.V. Zero-to-60 performance is as quick as 3.5 seconds. Expected range is 350 miles for the all-electric, and 500 for the four-cylinder engine EREV system nicknamed “Harvester.”
Ryan Decker, the vice president for strategy for Scout, said there was high demand for the company’s extended-range vehicle, far more than for only electric: Over 85 percent of reservations are for the EREV. “What’s important, we’re seeing demand across all 50 states, a more normal distribution,” he said. “Other BEV competitors have a sharp bias towards California and the coasts.” Expect Scout to start building at its Blythewood, S.C., plant in late 2027 or early 2028.
