Over nine million hybrid cars will be made in 2027 - each with a range extender

Research firm IDTechEx believes we are in the decade of the hybrid electric vehicle, despite the fact that most off-road, electric two-wheelers and underwater vehicles are pure electric. Indeed, most electric aircraft are pure electric as well.
June 6, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

Research firm 6582 IDTechEx believes we are in the decade of the hybrid electric vehicle, despite the fact that most off-road, electric two-wheelers and underwater vehicles are pure electric. Indeed, most electric aircraft are pure electric as well. The reason is that all these vehicles types are mainly small and small vehicles rarely need to travel long distances. By contrast, half the electric vehicle market value lies in larger road vehicles, notably cars, and here the legal restrictions are weaker or non-existent and range anxiety compels most people to buy hybrids, if they go electric at all.
 
The latest IDTechEx research report, Range Extenders for Electric Vehicles Land, Water & Air 2017-2027, forecasts that over nine million hybrid cars will be made in 2027, each with a range extender, the additional power source that distinguishes them from pure electric cars. Add to that significant money spent on the same devices in buses, military vehicles, boats and so on and a major new market emerges. The report is about range extenders for all these purposes - their evolving technology and market size.

Whereas today's range extenders usually consist of little more than off the shelf internal combustion engines, these are rapidly being replaced by second generation range extenders consisting of piston engines designed from scratch for fairly constant load in series hybrids.

There are some wild cards like Wankel engines and rotary combustion engines or free piston engines both with integral electricity generation. However, a more radical departure is the third generation micro turbines and fuel cells that work at constant load. The report compares all these. It forecasts the lower power needed over the years given assistance from fast charging and energy harvesting innovations ahead. Every aspect of the new range extenders is covered.
 
This report profiles key developers, manufactures and integrators of range extenders for land, water and airborne electric vehicles. It gives ten year forecasts of the different types of electric vehicle and of range extenders by number, unit value and market value. Market drivers and the changing requirements for power output are analysed.

Related Content

  • April 13, 2017
    Mild hybrid 48V vehicles 2017-2027
    Vehicle emissions regulations for 2025 and 2030 are unlikely to be met by conventional vehicle technology as applied to most vehicles beyond small cars, according to IDTechX researchers. Going to strong hybrid and pure electric powertrains involves considerable expense and delay and often totally new platforms. However, an intermediate technology has reached a stage where it can incrementally improve traditional powertrains by replacing the alternator with a reversible 48 V electric machine and adding a
    Read More
  • December 19, 2016
    Confusion over electric motors for heavy trucks
    According to Dr Peter Harrop of research company IDTechEx, there is still no agreement on the best type of electric motor to use in heavy trucks. The company’s analysis indicates that the booming, confusing traction motor business will rise to around US$400 billion in 2027. Its new report, Electric Motors for Electric Vehicles 2017-2027 navigates the jargon, the design options and the disagreements. The changing needs and evolving technology are matched to create forecasts and technology timelines based
    Read More
  • April 27, 2017
    IDTechEX: electric buses will be a US$165 billion market in 2027
    Industrial and commercial electric vehicles will be a similar market to cars but innovating faster and frequently more profitable for all in the value chain. The most important sector is buses, where innovation often comes before cars because they are less price sensitive. A report by IDTechEx Research, Electric Buses 2017-2027, finds that the market for medium and large hybrid and pure electric buses will be over $165 billion in 2027. In this report IDTechEx show how the Chinese are now dominating the leag
    Read More
  • March 16, 2017
    Electric vehicles will be a US$731 million market in ten years, say researchers
    The latest IDTechEx Research overview report, Electric Vehicles 2017-2037: Forecasts, Analysis and Opportunities, forecasts that electric vehicles will be a US$731 billion market in 2027, profoundly changing society by 2037. This report provides forecasts in numbers and value for 45 types of electric vehicle across land, water and air. We have taken a bottom up approach in assessing each of these 45 vehicle types. The fact-based number and value ten year forecasts in these 45 categories and the twenty y
    Read More

Highlighted Content