Originally Posted By: Trav
The more I think about it, if they said limp home/to charger mode I would see it as a desirable feature. "Range Extender" while factual just seems a bit of a fraud to me.
I'm sure it is relegated to an under powered/detuned engine for reasons to do with zero emissions, which make no sense at all either as it has a gasoline engine which regardless of its size still puts out emissions.
I would think that the fact it does have a gas engine onboard would classify it as more of a hybrid like the volt.
It is a mess with CARB in creating a new class of battery vehicle BEVx, it isn't a plug in hybrid likes the Chevy Volt.
This is the requirements of the BEVx, there is no restriction on engine size and/or power. But CARB recommends the use of APU is to enable the vehicle to go to a charging station with reduce power.
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The basic criteria for the BEVx’s are:
. The APU(auxiliary power unit) range is equal to or less than the all-electric range;
. Engine operation cannot occur until the battery charge has been depleted to the charge-sustaining lower limit;
. A minimum 80 miles electric range;
. Super ultra low emission vehicle (SULEV) and zero evaporative emissions compliant and TZEV(Transitional Zero Emission Vehicle) warranty requirements on the battery system.
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Here in California we passed a law requiring a certain percentage of automobile sales from each manufacturer to be zero emissions vehicles, in order for the manufacturer to continue doing business in California. That simple law has been twisted around in many ways until now it is a complicated mess of special cases. One of those special cases will allow for a new class of “extended range electric vehicle” (plug-in hybrid) to exist that, even though it has a gasoline engine on-board, will still be qualified for the highly coveted white HOV sticker. The white HOV sticker is supposed to be reserved for all electric vehicles, making it highly puzzling why the CARB is planning to gift BMW’s i3 (the only qualifying vehicle) with the white HOV stickers.
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In Jan. 2012 the California Air Resources Board (CARB) created a new class of vehicle, the BEVx, which is an electric vehicle carrying a sort of range extender engine. The CARB published an extensive report which included the BEVx definition (see ADVANCED CLEAN CARS 2012 PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CALIFORNIA ZERO EMISSION VEHICLE PROGRAM REGULATIONS).
BMW is set to exploit this new class of vehicle with the BMW i3, set to be introduced for sale in 2013.
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In section 2.1.1 the report claims that some manufacturers have lobbied for a new class of vehicle, the BEVx, or “range extended battery electric vehicles.” While the phrasing is similar to words General Motors uses to describe the Chevy Volt, this class of vehicle is expected to be very different. First, it is expected to have an electric range of about 80 miles (or more), and to have a tiny gasoline engine to provide an ability to limp to a charging station. The gas engine is an “auxiliary power unit” (APU) and would “allow drivers to find a charging location, and discouraging non-zero emission driving.”
http://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/2012/zev2012/zevisor.pdf
http://longtailpipe.com/2013/01/01/the-carb-zev-loophole-big-enough-to/
