BMW, a company that once swore off the range extender after the quirky i3 REx, might be preparing for a comeback tour. Early reports hinted that the next-generation X5 could get a gasoline-powered generator, and now Bloomberg is echoing the same message—BMW is actively evaluating range-extender variants for upper-tier models like the X5 and 7 Series, according to insiders familiar with the brand’s long-term planning.
If you’re wondering why BMW would dust off a technology it abandoned years ago, the answer comes down to a single word: China.
China’s EREV Surge Is Too Big to Ignore
BMW’s grip on the Chinese market isn’t what it once was, but the region is still the automaker’s most important. In 2024, nearly one-third of all BMW Group sales—29.2%—went to China, outpacing the U.S. and Germany combined. And unlike Europe and North America, China has developed a serious taste for extended-range EVs (EREVs).
According to data from the China Passenger Car Association, EREV sales jumped almost 50% in the first five months of 2025 alone. Homegrown brands like BYD (with the Yangwang U8), Aito’s M9, and Li Auto’s runaway-success L9 are dominating the segment. Their formula is simple: electric driving for everyday use, plus a compact, fuel-sipping generator for when the battery runs dry.
Sound familiar? That’s essentially the same recipe BMW cooked up with the i3 REx—just scaled up for massive luxury SUVs.
Why BMW Might Be Revisiting the Idea
The pitch makes sense: a next-gen X5 or 7 Series that delivers pure EV performance most of the time, but with a compact engine humming along at a constant rpm to juice the battery on long highway runs. No wheel-driving from the engine, no hybrid complexity—just a generator smoothing out the road-trip anxiety that comes with big EVs and big distances.
And it’s not just China showing interest. In the U.S., range-extender thinking is quietly gaining traction in the heavy-duty segment. Ram will use a generator-supported electric powertrain in its upcoming Ramcharger, and the reborn Volkswagen Scout lineup is expected to offer something similar. It’s a way to keep towing capability and road-trip freedom without going back to a full gas-powered drivetrain.
Europe throws another wrinkle into the mix. Regulators are still tweaking what the 2035 combustion-engine ban will and won’t allow. Depending on how “emission-neutral” rules evolve, future EREVs might skate through as compliant, creating yet another reason for BMW to keep its options open.
Inside the Engineering Playbook
Should BMW pull the trigger, the likely blueprint remains close to the i3’s:
- The engine never drives the wheels.
- It runs at an optimal, fixed rpm to maximize efficiency.
- It acts purely as a generator, feeding electricity back into the pack.
BMW already has a suite of compact, highly efficient gasoline engines ready to adapt for generator duty. Combined with the company’s EV-first platforms and existing battery know-how, development time wouldn’t be as long as it was a decade ago.
But Don’t Get Too Excited Yet
Officially, BMW isn’t confirming anything. When Bloomberg reached out, a company spokesperson stuck to the corporate script: BMW is “continuously analyzing usage patterns, customer needs, and market developments” and “reviewing the market potential of various technologies.”
Behind the scenes, the story is even murkier. Sources tell us no range-extender programs have been formally approved. Nothing is locked in. Not yet.
But the signals are getting harder to miss. China’s appetite for EREVs is exploding. U.S. buyers are warming to generator-backed electric trucks and SUVs. Europe may soon carve out regulatory breathing room for the format. And BMW has two large, spacious platforms—the X5 and 7 Series—that could take the hardware without compromise.
If the range extender is coming back from the dead, BMW might be the brand bold enough to resurrect it.
Source: Automotive News
