Electric vehicles have been around for a long time, and they are getting more popular with time. New and improved models get launched from time to time to replace fossil fuel-powered vehicles. They are equipped with a rechargeable battery that can be charged by plugging the cable into a charge point. 

Electric vehicles are eco-friendly, but their range can be a problem at times. If you run out of battery while driving, you will need to recharge the battery. Finding a charging point on a road can be an issue, and this is why most models come with range extenders these days. 

DC Generators for Range Extenders 

A range extender is an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) that helps combat issues related to the range of a battery-powered vehicle. DC generators can be used as a backup fuel source to charge the battery when required. The generator will use gasoline or diesel as fuel for combustion, and it will come into play when the battery of the vehicle gets discharged. The eclectic vehicles that use generators as an additional source of energy don’t come in the category of ‘Zero Emission Vehicles’.

The addition of an APU makes the electric vehicle more reliable as people don’t have to worry about running out of battery while driving. Another big advantage of adding an APU is that you won’t have to wait for the vehicle to recharge at the time of an emergency. 

The time taken by an electric vehicle to recharge varies from model to model, but you will need to wait for a while in most cases. If your car has a range extender, you will end up saving time, which will prove beneficial. But there are some disadvantages of adding a DC generator for extending the range as well, and we are going to discuss them in the next section of this article. 

Disadvantages 

Increased vehicle cost

You will find electric vehicles in different budget ranges, as the price tag varies depending upon several factors like design, brand, and other features. Electric vehicles without a range extender are cheaper than the ones equipped with an APU. The manufacturing cost of the additional source of energy gets added to the total cost of the vehicle. As a result, people have to pay a comparatively higher price. 

Additional weight 

The addition of an APU unit to a vehicle increases its overall weight, which isn’t a good thing as the engine will need to carry more load. A lot of people claim that lightweight cars are easier to handle, and they prefer them over heavy cars. It’s a matter of preference, so it won’t be fair to compare heavy and lightweight cars based on this factor. But when it comes to fuel efficiency, lightweight cars do a better job as the engine has to carry less weight. Any addition to the overall weight of the vehicle will prove as a burden to the engine of the car. 

Fuel cost

The additional source of energy will also need fuel to work, which means you will also need to keep fuel

costs in mind. Fuel costs will vary depending upon the type of fuel used by the generator. DC generators commonly use gasoline or diesel as fuel, and you will need to get the fuel tank refilled from time to time. 

Not a ‘Zero Emission Vehicle’

When a range extender is added to an electric vehicle, it doesn’t remain a ‘Zero Emission Vehicle’ anymore. Pure electric models do a better job in this field, as they aren’t equipped with a range extender. But with the engine onboard, cars with APU emit CO2, which isn’t good for the environment. 

The emission of CO2 isn’t as high as in the case of cars that run purely on diesel. This is due to the fact that the additional source of energy doesn’t come into play as long as the battery is charged. They are still more eco-friendly compared to cars that run on gasoline, diesel, or petrol. 

Adding design complexity

Customers don’t get affected by this issue, but manufacturers have to put in more effort to deal with the design complexity. Adding an APU to an electric vehicle requires some changes to the design, and the changes shouldn’t affect the performance of the vehicle. Once manufacturers find a reliable design, the production cost won’t get affected, but it will be an issue in the initial stages. 

Well, these are some disadvantages of adding an additional source of energy to an electric vehicle. You won’t have to worry about any of the above-mentioned issues in the case of a pure electric model, but the range will be an issue in that case. By adding a DC generator as a range extender, companies make electric cars more reliable for customers. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Are electric cars more efficient than gas-powered cars?

The efficiency of a car can be measured by calculating how much energy in the fuel is converted into kinetic energy to get its tires rolling. When it comes to efficiency, electric cars do a better job compared to gas-powered cars; however, the difference in efficiency will vary from model to model. Moreover, electric cars are more eco-friendly as they don’t rely on fossil fuels to run. 

What are the advantages of a 100% electric vehicle?

Electric cars are eco-friendly as they don’t rely on fossil fuels to run, and they run quietly as well. Since electricity is cheaper than gasoline, they prove more cost-effective in the long run.

We discussed the importance of range extenders in electric vehicles. If you have read this article carefully, you will be clear about the disadvantages of using DC generators as range extenders. 

There are several disadvantages of adding an additional source of energy to an electric vehicle, but if we look at the bigger picture, adding them can prove beneficial. The DC range extender generator will come into play only when the battery is low, which means the vehicle will still be more eco-friendly compared to fossil fuel-powered vehicles.