Novel Range Extender Concepts for 2025 with Regard to Small Engine Technologies

Energy politics and environmental circumstances demand novel strategies for private transport. Several studies have shown that one of these possibilities can be an electric vehicle with a range extender - REX. Today these REX engines are under way as derivation from modern internal combustion engines. As the need for an optimized usage of energy will further increase in the future, alternative energy converter systems have to be investigated. For DENSO, as supplier of components, it is of strong interest how the basic layout of these concepts could look like. This is necessary in order to be prepared for the specific needs of these concepts in terms of auxiliaries, electric / electronic components as well as for the cabin climate & various control strategies. In these REX-concepts all energies have to be considered. A sophisticated usage of energy inside a REX vehicle is required which leads to the investigation of a combined heat and power usage on-board. Using know-how and experience from small engine research and manufacturing, the range extender solutions can be treated in a very efficient and target-oriented way. Within this study alternative concepts using fossil energy as on-board power plants are being researched for the application in a range extender vehicle after 2025. Based on an analysis and derivation of requirements for upcoming scenarios high potential range extender solutions are investigated. As possible application mechanical energy generation as well as a combined heat-power generation is considered. In the following, a detailed examination of these high potential solutions is performed. This covers simulations and calculations of the necessary and relevant sections in order to generate know-how, identify crucial points, main issues and possible solutions.