What Type of Electric Vehicles Are There?
The number of Electric Vehicles (EVs) owned by people is increasing across the country. When shoppers search for an EV model, they may find a variety of options available. In this article, we'll outline some of the most commonly found ones.
Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs)
Battery Electric Vehicles are the type of EVs often referred to when discussing these vehicles. They are fully electric and do not require gasoline engines. A rechargeable battery pack supplies the energy necessary to operate the vehicle. BEVs are labeled as zero-emission vehicles since they don't emit harmful tailpipe emissions or the air pollution hazards typically associated with gas-powered cars.
Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs)
A Hybrid Electric Vehicle uses both an electric motor and a gas-powered engine. The battery can gain energy through regenerative braking. Normally, with a traditional gas-powered engine, this braking energy is lost as heat in the brake pads and rotors. However, with a hybrid, this energy is repurposed to assist the gasoline engine during acceleration.
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs)
A Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle also combines an engine and an electric motor. Similar to regular hybrid vehicles, they can recharge their battery partially through regenerative braking. However, they differ from regular hybrids in that they typically have a larger battery and can recharge by plugging into a grid. A PHEV can travel several dozen miles before the gas engine provides assistance. When the all-electric range is exhausted, a PHEV operates like a regular hybrid and can travel a distance on a tank of gasoline.