CHJ Automotive is about to launch the Ideal ONE with a range of 1,000km. Can extended-range hybrid vehicles become the new favorite of the market?

Recently, CHJ launched its smart electric vehicle brand - Ideal Auto, and will release its first extended-range electric SUV - Ideal Auto ONE on October 18.

According to official information, the NEDC comprehensive range of Ideal ONE can reach 700 kilometers, and the range in urban conditions exceeds 1,000 kilometers.

This range is far better than that of all pure electric vehicles. The main reason for such an excellent range is that Ideal ONE is an extended-range electric vehicle.

The extended-range electric vehicle uses the engine to generate electricity and the electric motor to drive. The engine does not directly drive the wheels, but only provides electricity to the battery.

When the battery pack is fully charged, the vehicle will be driven in pure electric mode. When the battery is insufficient, the engine in the vehicle will start to work, driving the generator to charge the power battery. Extended-range electric vehicles improve the thermal efficiency of the engine by placing the engine in the optimal operating range, thereby saving fuel and reducing exhaust gas pollution to the environment.

In the absence of major breakthroughs in battery energy density and the incomplete construction of charging facilities, extended-range hybrid vehicles can rely on the internal combustion engine to charge the battery pack when charging is not possible, eliminating the range anxiety of electric vehicles.

Although equipped with two power sources, the extended-range electric vehicle only has one motor drive system, which reduces the technical difficulty compared to the parallel hybrid.

However, extended-range hybrid vehicles are not perfect. The engine uses fuel to generate electricity, and after the loss of batteries and electric motors, the energy conversion efficiency will gradually decrease. The engine power performance, engine operating conditions, generator electronic control, and the engine's own fuel economy will all affect the actual fuel economy.

Range-extended hybrid vehicles can save energy when driving at low speeds, such as on congested roads, but the fuel-saving effect is not obvious when driving at a constant speed or high speed.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.