An electric vehicle is one that has no internal combustion engine (ICE). Instead, it employs an electric motor to run the wheels.
The vehicle draws power form a battery which is charged by an external source.
- Pure EV - a vehicle that draws its power from a battery
- Hybrid EV - a vehicle that draws its power from both a battery and a combustion motor.
The main components:
- electric battery
- inverter
- electric motor
- regenerative braking system
- power control unit
Types of Electric Vehicles
Some examples of EVs are :
- cars and trucks
- rails vehicles
- surface and underwater vessels
- electric aircraft
- electric spacecraft
At this point, when people mention electric vehicles, they are usually referring to automotive since that is what gets the publicity.
The best example of an electric vehicle company is Tesla. A couple others are Rivian and Lucid.
These companies are in contrast to legacy automotive companies such as VW, GM, Ford, Toyota, and Honda. We are seeing some of these companies trying to transition to the production of EVs.
Technology
Electric vehicles are being accompanied by a host of technologies that many believe will revolutionize transportation.
One of the biggest is the quest for autonomous driving software. This is something that Tesla, Google, and GM are working on. The idea of autonomous transportation could significantly change many industries.
Another change could be the direct-to-consumer model. Newer EV entrants are not going through the traditional dealership when selling their vehicles. Instead, they utilize the Internet as the basis for their sales. One only need to log onto the company website to place the order.
This ties into prices that are non-negotiable. People click what they want to buy and the price is listed there. Dealerships are known for their haggling, often at the expense of the customer.