The specification that sells is the one the infrastructure supports
Buyers importing electric vehicles for the first time usually optimise for battery range. In markets where public charging is thin, that is the wrong variable. A 400 km battery electric vehicle that cannot complete a round trip without an overnight stop will sit in the showroom next to a range-extended vehicle with a smaller battery and 700 km of combined range.
How a range extender works
A range-extended electric vehicle drives its wheels electrically at all times. The small combustion unit is a generator, not a drivetrain: it charges the battery when the state of charge drops, so the driving experience stays electric while the effective range triples. For markets with fuel stations everywhere and chargers almost nowhere, this removes range anxiety without asking the customer to change behaviour.
Reading your market's readiness
Four questions decide which powertrain to import:
- Charging density. How many public DC chargers exist per hundred kilometres on your main intercity routes? Below roughly one per hundred kilometres, pure battery electric is a city-only proposition.
- Grid stability. If your customers experience frequent outages, home charging is unreliable and a range extender provides a fallback.
- Duty cycle. A taxi that returns to a depot nightly is a perfect battery electric case. A regional sales fleet covering 600 km a day is not.
- Fuel and electricity price ratio. The running cost advantage of electric drive depends on this ratio locally, not on figures quoted from other markets.
Typical fit by segment
- City cars and taxis: battery electric works well where depot or home charging exists. A 300 km battery covers a full urban shift.
- SUVs for intercity use: range-extended versions dominate in markets with sparse charging, because 1,000 km combined range makes the vehicle usable everywhere.
- Distribution trucks and vans: depot charging makes battery electric viable for fixed routes; mixed regional routes favour range extenders.
- Buses: route-based duty cycles are predictable, so battery capacity can be matched precisely to the route and depot charging schedule.
Practical points that get overlooked
Charging standard. Confirm the connector standard your market uses and specify it in the order. Retrofitting a different charging port is not a workshop job.
Ambient temperature. Battery range figures are quoted under moderate test conditions. In sustained high heat, expect a meaningful reduction and specify battery thermal management accordingly.
Shipping state of charge. Shipping lines restrict lithium battery charge levels during ocean transport. Vehicles arrive with a low state of charge and need charging at the port, so plan for that before the first delivery.
Service capability. High-voltage systems require trained technicians and insulated tooling. Include technician training in the first order rather than treating it as an afterthought.
Most models in our range are offered in both battery electric and range-extended form. Tell us your market's charging situation and typical duty cycle, and we will recommend the battery and powertrain combination that will actually sell.