Great Wall Motor CEO Mu Feng Slams Range-Extender Tech: 13% Less Efficient, "Cutting Corners"

On January 16, Great Wall Motor unveiled a new vehicle platform supporting multiple powertrain systems at the Guiyuan Platform Launch Event. President Mu Feng reiterated the company's firm stance of "never developing range-extended electric vehicles," stating bluntly that range-extender technology has a low technical threshold and suffers from significant energy losses. He explained that under medium- and high-speed driving conditions, the range-extended system requires energy to pass through multiple conversion stages—"engine → generator → battery → drive motor → wheels"—resulting in an excessively long energy transmission chain. Real-world tests show its efficiency is at least 13% lower than that of direct-drive systems. Mu Feng criticized range extension as "cutting corners on technology," arguing it deviates from the fundamental principle of efficient mobility.