What are the different types of electric vehicles and how do they work?
While all electric vehicles (EVs) use electricity to improve vehicle efficiency, there are three primary EV types:
Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) combine an internal combustion engine with an electric motor, which uses energy stored in a battery
HEVs are fueled with gasoline to operate the internal combustion engine, and the battery is charged through regenerative braking to offset fuel consumption
Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) are powered by the combination of an internal combustion engine and electric motor that relies on battery energy storage like HEVs
PHEVs can operate in all-electric mode due to a larger battery that can be plugged in to an electric power source
Most PHEVs have an electric range of 20 to 40 miles and can operate on gasoline once the battery is depleted
Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) or all-electric vehicles do not use gasoline at all
BEVs have a large battery that is charged by plugging the vehicle into charging equipment
BEVs offer a typical driving range of 150 to 300 miles
What are the differences between a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and a battery electric vehicle?
Plug-in hybrid vehicles combine both gas and electric vehicle technology, incorporating both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) rely solely on battery energy storage