German component builder Mahle took a short break from pushing out compact, torque-maximizing ebike motors to reveal a small, high-efficiency multi-fuel engine-generator it says is ready to deliver hybridized driving ranges up to 838 miles (1,350 km), about double that of some of today's longest-range battery electric vehicles.

Mahle views its range-extenders as far more than simple independent add-on, looking at them as one component in a holistic driving architecture in which smaller batteries can replace larger ones while still alleviating, rather than intensifying, range anxiety. Those batteries will then lead to cost, weight and material savings, creating an attractive selection of affordable, efficient new-energy vehicles with more overall range, simple and flexible refueling options, and zero-emissions local driving.

Company CEO and board chairman Arnd Franz believes range-extended electric vehicles to be an important part of the auto market's future and notes that Europe is lagging behind major global markets like China and North America. In his IAA Mobility press conference speech, Franz noted that political complications are holding Europe back from embracing range-extended electric vehicles as an emissions-cutting solution.

A hot topic of late, the European Union's 2035 target for a 100% reduction in car and van CO2 emissions will mean the end of the road for combustion engines in new vehicles. The European auto industry has identified that goal as infeasible and has been ramping up pressure on the European Commission, the EU's primary executive body, to withdraw the complete ban and instead work to encourage other emissions-cutting options beyond just battery-powered EVs, including hybrids, hydrogen engines and sustainable fuels.

"Mahle is doing its homework and working on the decarbonization of road traffic in all areas of technology," Franz said at the show. "Europe must now follow the other major world markets and allow competition between all technologies in its CO2 regulation. This is not just a matter of climate protection but also of Europe's competitiveness."

Those words came several days before a meeting between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and key EU auto industry executives last Friday. Following the meeting, Von der Leyen agreed to fast-track the review of the 2035 ban it had originally planned for 2026. It will now undertake that review before the end of 2025.