Range Extender

Overcoming range anxiety

Environmental concerns are steadily pushing society towards electric and hybrid vehicles. However, currently, the autonomy that the batteries guarantee to the cars is not always sufficient to support the needs of modern mobility all over the world. The low recharge speed and the scarce diffusion of the recharging columns also contribute to exacerbating the problem. Range anxiety is the fear that a vehicle has insufficient range to reach its destination and would thus strand the vehicle’s occupants. It is considered to be one of the major barriers to large scale adoption of all-electric cars. 

A range extender is a fuel-based (gasoline, methane and, in future, hydrogen) auxiliary power unit that extends the range of a battery electric vehicle in case of emergency by driving an electric generator that charges the vehicle’s battery. Robby Moto’s Range Extender System has a compact endothermic engine and a current generator, both specifically designed together for this application, to kick in when needed, allowing the car to make it to the next charging station stress-free, even if the battery was close to depletion. The objectives are maximum efficiency, minimum cost, minimum bulk and minimum weight. Thanks to its small size, the extender is designed to be housed under the trunk. 

The Range Extender system is designed to intervene only in case of emergency. When the battery drops below a certain threshold value, it kicks in with the sole purpose of recharging the batteries so as to allow the passengers to arrive at the next charging station. It helps overcome range anxiety and encourages the worldwide diffusion of a 100% electric car fleet in the next years. Created for the automotive sector, it has been developed to meet a broad implication in the future given the importance that electric traction is acquiring today. The Range Extender system is configured as a low-cost charging unit that can be used by a wide range of vehicles so that it can be housed in the spare wheel compartment of the vehicle.