IM Motors reveals extended-range powertrain akin to installing an internal combustion engine in a Tesla Model Y
IM Motors, a Chinese automaker, has made a significant stride in the electric vehicle (EV) industry by unveiling an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) system named Hengxing. This system, set to debut in the new IM LS6 SUV on August 15, promises to offer a practical middle ground between traditional EVs and conventional vehicles.
The Hengxing system features a battery pack with a capacity of up to 66 kWh, making it the Max variant of CATL's Freevoy Super Hybrid Battery, currently the largest battery pack in the EREV segment. This battery supports a 4C charging rate, enabling 310 km of range in just 15 minutes of charging, thanks to its peak charging power of up to 268 kW. The system also supports 800-volt high-voltage fast charging.
IM Motors claims that its EREV system offers a series hybrid setup where the internal combustion engine acts solely as a generator, while the vehicle is driven entirely by the electric motor. This design simplifies the drivetrain by removing the need for a transmission and allows charging and motor driving simultaneously. The engine runs at a constant, efficient RPM, improving fuel economy.
While the Hengxing system offers benefits such as simpler drivetrain structure, dual power source flexibility, and efficiency at maintaining engine RPM at optimal levels, it has some disadvantages. In city driving, where frequent stop-and-go and medium-low speed driving require frequent engine interventions, the system may be less efficient and less suitable for rapid acceleration.
Comparatively, EVs like the Tesla Model Y and Nio Onvo L60, being pure electric vehicles, deliver instant torque and strong acceleration without engine intervention, but with range limitations and reliance on charging infrastructure.
In a move to stay competitive, Nio unveiled its extended-range system called the Kunpeng Super Electric System in November 2024. However, Nio remains committed to producing only BEVs, unlike IM Motors, which also sells the IM L6 and L7 sedans, in addition to the LS6 and LS7 SUVs, all of which are BEV models.
The EREV market has seen a surge in popularity, with most of China's earliest EV startups initially targeting the BEV market, but PHEVs, including EREVs, now being the most popular models in the electrification transition. The average capacity of battery packs for PHEV models in China was 29.1 kWh in June 2024, exceeding 29 kWh for the third consecutive month.
CATL launched the Freevoy Super Hybrid Battery for hybrid vehicles in October 2024. IM Motors' Hengxing system provides a CLTC range of up to 450 kilometers, which is three times the range of the Tesla Model Y with the same battery pack capacity.
In summary, IM Motors’ EREV system offers a practical middle ground by maintaining electric driving benefits while mitigating range anxiety with an onboard generator, but trades off some performance and city efficiency compared to full battery-electric vehicles like Tesla Model Y and Nio Onvo L60.
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