Built for Scale, Episode 1
2026 / 01 / 22
Dr.-Ing. Alexander Rosen

At DeepDrive, we believe the future is electric – and we’re fully committed to building the technologies that accelerate that transition. Our core focus remains on electric drive systems, and that hasn’t changed.

But we also recognise a reality: in many parts of the world, infrastructure is not yet ready to support full EV adoption. In markets where long-distance travel, heavy-duty use cases, or charging access remain limited, range extenders can play a crucial role.

That’s why we decided to develop a generator. Not as a step back into combustion, but as a pragmatic response to real-world needs – one that supports electrification, not competes with it.

THE RISE OF A MARKET-DRIVEN COMEBACK
Globally, we’re seeing a clear signal: Drivers want electric vehicles that are ready for everything.

▪ Long highway drives
▪ Towing capability
▪ Cold weather resilience
▪ No dependence on high-speed chargers

In this context, range extenders are back in focus. But they’re not what they used to be.

THE FIRST GENERATION
We’ve seen range extender systems before – such as in the BMW i3. These were small, motorcycle-style combustion engines designed to recharge a battery when needed. They served a purpose, but were limited in scope, performance, and scalability.

What’s needed today is fundamentally different:

▪ Sustained output, not just emergency backup
▪ Full highway compatibility, including towing
▪ Efficient packaging and easy integration

And most importantly, the demand is not being driven by regulation. This is the market talking.

WHAT MODERN RANGE EXTENDERS MUST DELIVER
Designing a generator that fits today’s requirements means solving for a new set of priorities:

▪ High continuous power at low RPM
▪ High torque over indinite durations without overheating
▪ Compact, low-weight system design
▪ Compatibility with both gasoline and diesel ICEs
▪ Low-cost bill of materials
▪ Cooling flexibility (depending on use case)

This is no longer a niche problem. It’s a real opportunity – and one that requires a purpose-built solution.

INTRODUCING THE DEEPDRIVE APPROACH
At DeepDrive, we’ve spent the last years developing an electric motor technology that matches these market realities. Our Dual Rotor architecture, already known from our In-Wheel and Central Drives, offers key benefits:

▪ Excellent torque density
▪ Internal inverter integration
▪ Lightweight build
▪ Compact form factor
▪ Support for water and oil cooling

Meaning that our generator is designed not around lab specs, but around how OEMs actually build vehicles. We’re not here to repackage existing hardware. We built a system that responds to real market needs – technically and commercially.

Coming Up: The Technology Behind It

In the coming weeks, we’ll take a deeper look at the innovations behind our generator:

▪ How direct conductor oil cooling unlocks higher continuous power
▪ Why plug-and-play integration is a gamechanger for OEMs
▪ What makes our architecture scalable, cost-efficient, and Tier 1 ready

This is a conversation we’re excited to have. Because the future of electrification won’t be solved by politics alone – it will be built by engineering that fits real needs.

Stay tuned.