Ford to invest in range-extender EVs amid slump in pure-electric vehicle demand

Ford is set to join another niche powertrain market in the US, with the auto giant reportedly investing in range-extender electric vehicle (EREV or REEV) technology as demand for its battery-electric vehicles (EVs) slows.

Bloomberg reports Ford is currently engineering the base technology for EREV powertrains, which offer greater flexibility and less range anxiety than an all-electric vehicle.

Blurring the lines between an EV and plug-in hybrid (PHEV), EREVs typically function as an EV but have a combustion engine that acts solely as an electricity generator to power up the battery when it runs out of charge or is close to doing so.

While this technology is becoming increasingly popular in China, it’s not as common elsewhere. Only two EREVs have ever been sold in Australia – the Holden Volt liftback, which launched locally back in 2012, and the BMW i3 REx, which was available alongside the i3 electric city-car before being axed in 2021.

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Mazda Australia never imported the rotary-equipped range-extender version of its sole EV, the MX-30 small electric SUV, which along with the M-Hybrid version was axed here in 2023.

According to Bloomberg, sources say Ford is planning to put the technology in SUVs, smaller crossovers and even larger pickups from its Super Duty model line.

This would see it one-up rival Ram, which is launching a range-extender version of its 1500 pickup, named the Ramcharger, to be sold alongside the all-electric Ram 1500 REV.

The Ramcharger features a 92kWh battery pack, plus 250kW front and 238kW rear electric drive modules (EDMs).

The venerable 3.6-litre Pentastar petrol V6 is now used to send mechanical power not to the wheels but to the 130kW onboard generator it’s mounted directly to, which in turn sends electrical power to the EDMs.

There are no details on the technical specifications of Ford’s EREVs, however, insiders have told Bloomberg it’s possible they won’t launch until 2027 – just a year after Ford Vice Chair John Lawler previously predicted 150 new plug-in vehicles will launch.

While the technology is new to Ford, CEO Jim Farley last year touted the capability of EREVs to Bloomberg following a trip to China, where the powertrain is more commonly available.

“It has a smaller battery, 95 per cent of the trips are going to be all electric, and then you don’t have range anxiety,” Mr Farley said. “We really like that solution.”

It’s worth noting that while Ford turns some of its attention to EREVs, its EVs are struggling for sales in the US.

Despite being the first of the ‘Big Three’ US automaker – Ford, Stellantis and General Motors – to launch an electric pickup in the F-150 Lightning, it’s since been surpassed in monthly sales by the Tesla Cybertruck.

Production of the F-150 Lightning was paused late last year, representing the latest bump in the road for the electric pickup that was expected to provide a significant boost to EV adoption, offering battery power in North America’s most popular new vehicle.

After launching it as the second electric pickup in the US – shortly after the Rivian R1T – Ford soon increased its production plans for the F-150 Lightning, following high demand after first deliveries in 2022.

However, buyers soon started to turn away from the pickup, resulting in multiple subsequent production plan cuts to ensure oversupply was reduced.

In January, it was announced there will be just one shift a day working at the Ford F-150 Lightning’s production facility, down from the peak of three shifts when demand was at its highest.

Deliveries were paused in February due to an unspecified quality issue, which was followed in April by cutting production down to one shift from three.

In response to the falling demand, Ford announced in August that it would delay the launch of the F-150 Lightning’s successor to the second half of 2027, well behind its planned 2025 debut.

It also axed plans to develop a three-row electric SUV, instead focusing on introducing more hybrid drivetrains in the large SUV segment.

The F-150 Lightning is yet to be confirmed for official release in Australia, where Ford’s first EV, the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV, has been joined by the large E-Transit van and, in 2025, the mid-sized E-Transit and PHEV, and the Ranger PHEV ute, following the axing of the Escape PHEV and plans to launch the Puma Gen-E.

MORE: Ford’s electric pickup hits yet another stumbling block MORE: Ford cuts more F-150 Lightning production amid declining demand