According to Chinese media Kuaikeji, there are voices suggesting that Range Extender EVs (EREVs), which are electric vehicles (EVs) equipped with an engine exclusively for power generation, will be replaced by Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) that run solely on electric motors powered by electricity stored in batteries, without an engine.

According to a summary by the China Automobile Dealers Association Passenger Car Market Information Joint Meeting Division, China's EREV wholesale sales in May stood at only 95,000 units, recording a 24.9% year-on-year decrease, the largest decline in the past five years. By model, only three models, including Wenjie M6, had monthly sales exceeding 5,000 units.

Including May's production figures, EREV's share in the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) market, which consists of BEVs, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), and EREVs, decreased to 7.0%, while sales of BEVs and PHEVs showed stable growth.

EREV sales had been increasing year by year until now, but this year has seen significant decreases in many months, and even in months with slight increases, the growth was minimal.

As factors for this, the market nearing saturation, a decline in consumer purchasing desire, and the diminished advantage of EREVs due to rising gasoline prices can be cited.

While opinions are divided within the industry regarding the future of EREVs, there is a prevailing view that they will not completely disappear from the market and will coexist with BEVs in the long term while adapting to diverse user needs. (Translated and Edited by Yanagawa)