Audi explores electric vehicles with gasoline range extenders

Audi has filed two patents aimed at converting electric vehicles into Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs) by integrating a gasoline engine to charge the battery. This approach allows the vehicle to maintain its electric design while adding a range extender without a complete redesign.

One patent describes a method for installing the gasoline engine by mounting it to the strut bar rather than the traditional chassis supports. This unconventional placement is intended to save space and lower the vehicle's center of gravity. The engine would not be connected to a transmission but would instead power an electric motor acting as a generator.

A second patent focuses on the management of the thermal engine. To address the inherent inefficiency of range extenders, Audi proposes using the engine only when most beneficial, such as using its heat to warm the cabin or bring the battery to an optimal operating temperature more efficiently than a heat pump.