Mahle is preparing to present a range-extender system for heavy-duty battery-electric trucks at IAA Transportation in Hanover in September. The system combines a high-voltage generator with a compact internal combustion engine and is designed to increase the operating range of electric trucks while allowing them to use a smaller battery.
Mahle said the system can enable an electric truck to achieve a total range of more than 800 kilometres, with approximately 400 kilometres supplied by the battery and another 400 kilometres from the range extender.
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Range Extender Combines Generator and Combustion Engine
The system uses a high-voltage generator with a continuous output of 110 kW and a peak output of 130 kW. A compact internal combustion engine drives the generator, which supplies electricity to the truck’s electric powertrain when additional energy is required.
Mahle describes the system as a self-contained unit integrating the generator, combustion engine, thermal and fluid management systems, fuel tank, AdBlue tank and exhaust aftertreatment.
The generator uses an oil-cooling system and has a stated power density of more than 7 kW per kilogram.
The architecture can also be adapted to different power requirements and regional markets, according to Mahle.
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Smaller Battery Reduces Vehicle Weight
The range-extender unit is designed to occupy space otherwise allocated to part of the truck’s battery pack.
Mahle said the system can replace approximately one-third of the battery capacity of a conventional battery-electric truck. The resulting smaller battery can reduce rear axle load by about 400 kg and total vehicle weight by approximately 600 kg.
The company estimates that a truck equipped with the range extender could achieve more than 800 km of total range, consisting of roughly 400 km of battery-electric operation and another 400 km using the generator.
Because the system uses a combustion engine, the vehicle would produce emissions during range-extender operation. Mahle said the engine can use renewable fuels such as HVO100, which can substantially reduce the associated emissions compared with conventional fuels.
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System Designed for Heavy-Duty Operation
Mahle has incorporated thermal management equipment intended to maintain operating conditions under demanding loads.
The system provides 48 kW of high-temperature cooling capacity and 15 kW of low-temperature cooling capacity.
The supplier expects the range extender to provide additional flexibility when charging infrastructure is unavailable or when trucks need to take alternative routes because of traffic or weather conditions.
Dr. Marco Warth, Head of Corporate Development at Mahle, described the system as an “emergency power unit” intended to provide additional range when required.
Range-Extender Trucks Follow EREV Concept
The technology follows the extended-range electric vehicle concept, or EREV.
In an EREV, the wheels are driven exclusively by electric motors. The onboard combustion engine does not mechanically drive the wheels but instead generates electricity when the battery requires additional energy.
The concept has been used primarily in China’s passenger vehicle market, while applications in heavy-duty trucks remain limited.
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Mahle plans to demonstrate the system at IAA Transportation in Hanover from Sept. 15 to 20, 2026.
Mahle Targets Heavy-Duty Electrification
Mahle sees the range extender as one potential pathway for increasing the use of battery-electric trucks while charging infrastructure continues to expand.
Arnd Franz, chairman of the executive board and CEO of Mahle, said the company’s electrification products are intended to improve the efficiency and flexibility of heavy commercial vehicles while supporting the transition away from diesel powertrains.
Mahle said medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles account for around 20% of its business with automotive manufacturers. The company works with more than 120 customers in the commercial vehicle and off-road sectors.
The supplier also said its commercial vehicle order intake in the first half of 2026 was significantly higher than in the same period of 2025 and that it expects its commercial vehicle business to grow faster than the overall market over the next five years.
New Electric Motor Also Planned for IAA
Mahle will use IAA Transportation to introduce another electric drivetrain technology, the Mahle Contactless Transmitter (MCT) E-Motor.
The motor is designed for electric drive axles in heavy-duty commercial vehicles and operates without rare-earth magnets. It has a peak output of 370 kW and more than 900 Nm of torque at 3,900 rpm.
Mahle states that the motor achieves 95% efficiency according to the VECTO cycle.
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The company is also expanding its work with commercial vehicle manufacturers in China, including suppliers targeting the European market. Mahle has not disclosed the names of the Chinese manufacturers involved in those commercial relationships.
The range-extender system and new electric motor will form part of Mahle’s broader display of electrification and renewable-fuel technologies at IAA Transportation.
