General Motors developed a prototype of the Chevrolet Volt electric range extender in 1996, but although the project was later abandoned, General Motors still learned about the actual requirements from it. The concept car launched by General Motors in 2007 was equipped with a 1.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, which was clearly a more practical change.
However, the price of $41,000 was not accepted by the market. With the innovation of battery technology, electric drive motors and electric drive control technology, the development of electric vehicles is advancing rapidly. The technological development of electric vehicles has made it possible for extended-range hybrid vehicles. The extended-range hybrid has a simple structure and is easy to maintain. The extended-range hybrid vehicle not only retains the advantages of electric drive without the issue of range, but also can be charged and use fuel (with low fuel consumption, half that of traditional fuel vehicles). China's production and sales of extended-range hybrid vehicles are expected to exceed 1.5 million units by 2025.