"Range Service" in Name but Actually an Illegal "Power Bank" — Adding "外挂" to Electric Vehicles Poses Serious Hidden Risks

“Electric vehicles with extended-range devices double their range, running while charging”
“Choose Lao Wang’s 8kW extended-range device to say goodbye to range anxiety”
“Extended-range device installation, what’s the difference between the roof-mounted and underbody models” … Since this year, a large number of information and services about “adding extended-range devices” have appeared on social media and short video platforms.

According to investigations by Xinhua Daily Telegraph, with the increasing popularity of extended-range new energy vehicles in recent years, illegal installations of extended-range devices on pure electric vehicles are also spreading. Modification businesses in Jiangsu, Hubei, Sichuan, Shandong, Guangdong, and other regions promote so-called “range upgrade” services through online platforms. Some accounts claim to provide “science popularization” by discussing the feasibility of installing extended-range devices later, and have built customer groups with hundreds of members. However, such modifications pose significant safety risks on the road and require comprehensive regulation.

The “walking power bank”: covert installation of extended-range devices

What does it mean to add an extended-range device to a pure electric vehicle? Simply put, it’s attaching an external “gas-powered power bank” to the vehicle.

This “power bank” is usually a small fuel-powered generator set, typically including an engine, generator, and fuel tank. When the vehicle’s battery is nearly depleted, it can burn gasoline to generate electricity, which directly powers the motor or simultaneously charges the battery, allowing the vehicle to continue driving and alleviating “range anxiety.”

According to investigations, owners choosing to install extended-range devices mainly focus on two types of pure electric vehicles. One is electric box trucks used for transportation, mainly for commercial operations; the other is small electric cars, whose actual range is mostly within 200 kilometers, with some owners opting to install extended-range devices to ease range concerns.

Currently, the market offers two levels of extended-range devices based on functionality. One is the standard version, suitable for typical southern environments, which does not support manual adjustments; the other is called the “second-generation smart extended-range device,” promoted as capable of adapting to high-altitude, extremely cold, and complex conditions, with features like remote control switches and small program-based smart monitoring of batteries. These products have fuel tanks with capacities of 15-35 liters, use 92-octane gasoline, and claim to extend range by 200-800 kilometers. Prices range from about 4,000 to 7,000 yuan for the standard version, and 5,000 to 8,000 yuan for the smart version, with merchants generally offering warranties of 1 to 2 years.

Installation is usually done at offline modification shops. Most fuel tanks are installed in the front engine compartment, while the engine units are mounted on the roof or underbody. Some merchants describe roof-mounted setups that integrate the entire system into a custom luggage box fixed on the roof rack, requiring only three power connections to operate. This “integrated” design allows consumers to receive the device remotely, install it themselves under video guidance from merchants, and even find “step-by-step installation videos and wiring tutorials for self-starting and stopping without fuss.”

Several modification shops have reported a significant increase in business recently, with some having installed hundreds of units, emphasizing their mature technology and claiming that no issues have arisen during installation.

When asked about safety, most merchants downplay concerns, saying “there are no safety issues; at worst, the extended-range device itself might fail, causing the vehicle not to start.” Regarding vehicle inspections, they claim “generally, it won’t be checked,” and suggest two ways to handle inspections: one is to cover relevant parts with tape or objects since inspections usually do not check the underside; the other is to use “yellow cow” agents for about 100-200 yuan.

For concerns about engine noise at highway toll stations raising suspicion, merchants advise drivers to use remote controls to switch the extended-range device on and off flexibly: “Turn it off when entering or leaving highways, and only turn it on during high-speed driving, so it’s less likely to be noticed.”

“Illegal on-road use” carries multiple risks

Professor Zhang Kangkang, a PhD in automotive engineering from Tsinghua University and an industry analyst, explains that most transportation industry practitioners privately install extended-range devices mainly due to economic considerations. Their vehicles often have small batteries that cannot meet daily operational needs, especially in winter when range issues are more prominent. Therefore, some owners choose to install extended-range devices to improve operational efficiency and extend driving distance.

However, behind this private installation, there are multiple legal and safety risks.

Lawyer Kang Xiaohong from Zhongdun Law Firm points out that privately adding extended-range devices to pure electric vehicles is clearly illegal, mainly violating China’s Road Traffic Safety Law, which prohibits unauthorized modifications to vehicle structures. Producing or selling illegally modified vehicles can result in hefty fines or license revocation. Moreover, if an accident occurs after such modifications, insurance companies may refuse to pay claims, and owners could face criminal liability for major damages.

Additionally, these modifications pose significant safety hazards. Zhang Kangkang highlights four main risks:

1. Many fuel tanks are installed in the front engine compartment, which is a collision energy absorption zone; placing fuel tanks there is highly unreasonable and can cause fuel leaks or fires in rear-end collisions.
2. If the charging control protocols between the extended-range device and the vehicle’s battery are incompatible, overcharging may occur, leading to spontaneous combustion.
3. Exposed fuel lines are prone to damage and leaks; if the engine is installed close to the battery, it could cause overheating and increase fire risk.
4. The installed engines often do not meet emission standards, with some only complying with national standard 2, which is far below the current national standard 6, causing serious pollution during use.

Therefore, private installation of extended-range devices is not only illegal but also significantly endangers vehicle safety, battery management, fuel system design, and environmental protection, making it a high-risk behavior.

Since many transactions involving private installations occur on online platforms, lawyer Kang Xiaohong notes that these platforms generally serve as intermediaries for transactions and information services but do not perform prior verification, monitoring during, or post-regulation, and thus bear legal responsibility.

Combining “blocking and smoothing” in governance of electric vehicle “external attachments”

The investigation found that private installation of extended-range devices is just one of many chaotic phenomena on online platforms. There are also widespread “science popularization” content promoting illegal modifications, such as installing battery packs improperly or converting fuel vehicles’ systems to electric.

Searches on short video platforms reveal promotional videos with sensational titles like “The first Jiangling Shunda 89° to 178° battery upgrade,” “Jiangling E-road upgrade with extended-range pack,” or “Not because of T engines being unaffordable, but because pull-start gasoline engines are more cost-effective.” These videos, claiming to share “technology” and “range upgrades,” actually spread illegal modification information, potentially misleading the public and endangering road safety.

Experts agree that addressing the chaos of private installations of extended-range devices and battery packs requires a combination of “blocking” and “smoothing.”

Strengthening regulation is a common consensus. Kang Xiaohong suggests cracking down on the production and sale of non-standard products at the source, increasing enforcement against illegal modifications during road inspections and vehicle annual checks. Meanwhile, online platforms should promptly remove illegal promotional and sales information and clarify their responsibilities.

At the same time, legal awareness campaigns should be promoted. For key groups like truck drivers, case-based warning education can be conducted, and through offline billboards, short videos, and other channels, continuous dissemination of legal and safety knowledge is necessary. Using traffic checkpoints and remote monitoring technologies to automatically identify and alert abnormal vehicles is also considered a feasible auxiliary measure.

The key to “smoothing” lies in responding to genuine needs. Zhang Chidong, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Science and Technology Strategy Consulting, emphasizes that the real concerns of some owners about range and costs should be acknowledged and guided toward a regulated and safe market. This requires coordinated efforts across product development, infrastructure, and policy: encouraging automakers to develop compliant long-range or swap-battery models, accelerating charging and swapping networks in freight hubs, and implementing appropriate purchase support policies to systematically address “range anxiety,” thereby reducing the space for illegal modifications.