Electrical vehicles are experiencing a fast-paced demand worldwide driven by a quest for improved energy efficiency and Zero Emissions targets for vehicles mainly in cities. Nowadays, we are facing an increase of electrification in a short period of time, leading to a high demand for hybrid powertrains as well as battery electric vehicles (BEV). If there is not enough charging infrastructure available, actions for the BEV should be applied to avoid the user's "range anxiety", which can be an additional battery capacity, thus increasing the cost and weight in proportion to the requested range. An alternative to this matter is the so-called Range Extender (REx), a hybrid powertrain architecture that increases the range via an internal combustion engine (ICE), which also increases the cost and weight, but with higher energy density. AVL South America in partnership with Aeronautics Institute of Technology (ITA) and companies FURNAS and SEFAC, presents in this paper the first plug-in hybrid vehicle developed in Brazil with an ethanol Range extender. This bio-electrification concept is under development with functional prototypes within the Project registered with the code PD-00394-1910 / 2019 which belongs to the R&D program regulated by ANEEL. In this present work it Casts light on the benefits in emission reduction from an electric vehicle equipped with an ethanol ICE Range extender. The internal combustion engine is developed to have the optimum overall efficiency of the ethanol combustion, allowing the extension of the vehicle's range. Moreover, a significant reduction of carbon dioxide emissions of 73% was achieved when compared the E100 engine to the original petrol version range extender.The ICE efficiency is improved through innovative technologies, which can be applied independently or in combination. The main motivation of this application is the use of energy sources with low environmental impact, among them the electric energy mostly coming from renewable sources in Brazil and the biofuel ethanol, which provides carbon dioxide absorption during the sugarcane cultivation cycle.

This paper evaluates worldwide available and proven standard emission reduction technologies, from both technical and cost perspectives, for in-cylinder, aftertreatment and evaporative control systems to meet PROCONVE L8, the most stringent light vehicles Brazilian emissions legislation to come, which will enter into force in 2025.Results indicate PFI flex fuel 1.0L engine-based solution as the most cost driven pathway. Nevertheless, according to automaker's strategy, TGDI engines may also be considered as an option.

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