The Company That Makes BMW’s Gearboxes Is The Latest To Turn EVs Into Hybrids

German supplier ZF Group has been developing new vehicle technologies for decades, and is most notable for building transmissions and gearboxes found in various vehicles and sports cars, like the BMW M3 and numerous other European cars.

But with combustion-powered cars on the back foot with the emergence of hybrid and all-electric vehicles on the market, ZF Group knows it might not be able to keep building those traditional transmissions forever. Now, it has tapped its Chinese developers to create new EREV, or extended range electric vehicle, technology for future production cars.

ZF Group Has Some EV Experience

The new EREV development is not ZF Group’s first foray into battery-powered, electric-motor-driven vehicles. The supplier was tapped to develop the 2019 Mercedes-Benz EQC EV’s all-electric powertrain, and it has already been supplying its first, early EREV system in new London taxis for years.

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EREV powertrains work by having a gas block fire up and charge a battery pack, which then powers electric axles that drive the wheels; the gas engine is not directly connected to the wheels in most EREV applications. ZF Group offers a choice between its electric range extender (eRE) and electric range extender plus (eRE+) systems.

Scout Motors will use EREV tech when it launches in a couple of years.

ZF Group’s New EREV Systems Come In Two Flavors

The standard eRE system connects the electric motor at the axle with an integrated inverter, planetary gear set, and the software necessary to run the system. The eRE+ system gains an added clutch and a differential, for use as an additional secondary drive if required. Both systems are said to be adaptable to existing OEM electric architecture, 400V or 800V setups, and various semiconductor types, so they should be highly compatible for manufacturers potentially looking for a plug-and-play solution to catch up in the EREV hybrid market. Output ranges from 70 to 110 kW (eRE) or 70 to 150 kW (eRE+).

Plug-And-Play Solution

“Although the all-electric range of passenger cars is around 500 km [~310 miles] on average, range anxiety still influences a wide range of buyers when choosing their next vehicle,” explains Dr. Otmar Scharrer, Senior Vice President R&D, Electrified Powertrain Technology. “The new interest and the increased demand for range extenders shows that the potential of this technology is far from exhausted – in particular for model platforms that are already designed for battery-electric drivelines.”

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That’s the main selling point: an OEM can take its existing vehicle architecture and just insert ZF’s new components with some minor tweaks, and ideally have an all-new model or trim to produce. The company says the new systems are going into production in 2026, but it’s not clear if that means as a supplier component or if it’ll be in a next-gen production vehicle from an OEM by that date.

Interestingly, Mercedes’ Chinese engine supplier, Horse, has also begun showcasing a similar idea.