All about Electric Cars

If you had asked a person in the nineties about electric cars being on the road, they would tell you that it would never happen. Even a few years ago it just seemed impossible. The technology at the time did not just support electric vehicles (EVs) and we were so used to Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles that idea of replacing gasoline with electricity wasn’t feasible. Car manufacturers had fiddled over the electric vehicle idea and developed concepts for research and development purposes but shelved the plans for later. Tesla motors then entered. Tesla aggressively worked hard to ensure a production ready electric car and the successfully did so with the Roadster. That’s when people started gaining acceptance that an electric car was feasible.

Electric Vehicles are defined as being any type of vehicle that relies on electric motors for propulsion. When an electric vehicle has enough range to drive on the highway it termed an electric car. With the recent advances in battery technology and better electric motors, electric cars could be the future mode of transportation that we will be heavily reliant on. Why would we be reliant on electric cars? Well, chiefly because they are eco-friendly producing no emissions that ICE vehicles today do. This would help lower the carbon footprint and prevent or manage global warming. It is because of this eco friendliness that some governments are offering incentives, tax credits and subsidies to electric car owners. When compared to ICE vehicles, electric cars have lower maintenance and fueling requirements. It is of paramount importance to note that EVs are classified into types as well which are:

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs)

Also known as all-electric vehicle, BEVs rely solely on chemical energy stored in their rechargeable battery packs for power. They do not possess a backup propulsion mechanism in the form of an Ice engine or hydrogen fuel cell that kicks in when the batteries deplete. The battery technology used is Lithium Ion which is more powerful and has a higher energy density. Use of lithium ion batteries means greater acceleration and increased range for BEVs. They come with chargers that you can use at home or use or by recharging at a charging station.

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs)

PHEVs contain both a battery powered electric motor as well as a gasoline powered internal combustion engine. With PHEVs one can choose to drive using an all-electric mode then let the gasoline engine kick in when the battery pack has depleted or alternatively use the gasoline engine and use the all-electric mode when the fuel tank goes empty. An advantage of such as setup is extended range. It is also possible to use the gasoline engine for driving and let the battery pack power all other in-car equipment such as air condition and refrigeration.  One can drive fully charge there PHEV and then complete their daily commute on electric power only. PHEVs come with automatic transmission only.

Regular Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs)

Regular HEVs can only travel short distances on electric power. They do not need to be plugged in to an external power source for charging. The built-in system cuts the gasoline engines in and out automatically allowing the electric motor to briefly kick in thereby reducing fuel usage where possible and provide more torque when required. When the vehicle is at rest or slowing down the normal combustion engine cuts allowing the electric motor to step in. Regular HEVs are available in automatic transmission only. 

Mild Hybrids or Battery-Assisted Hybrid Vehicles (BAHVs)

Mild hybrids are just like a regular ICE car with the only exception being that an electric motor is used to assist the petrol or diesel engine during acceleration. This added assistance by the electric motor reduces the amount of work to be performed by the combustion engine resulting in overall fuel economy and a boost in acceleration. Mild hybrids come in both automatic and manual transmission flavors and do not require plugging in to an external power source for charging.