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A range extender is a fuel-based auxiliary power unit that extends the range of a battery electric vehicle by driving an electric generator that charges the vehicle's battery. This arrangement is known as a series hybrid drivetrain. The most commonly used range extenders are internal combustion engines, but fuel-cells or other engine types can be used.
Range extender vehicles are also referred to as extended-range electric vehicles , range-extended electric vehicles , and range-extended battery-electric vehicle by the California Air Resources Board.
Many range extender vehicles, including the Chevrolet Volt and the BMW i3, are able to charge their batteries from the grid as well as from the range extender, and therefore are a type of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.