Electric cars are the present and future of the automobile industry, but it may not be easy to believe that the first electric cars were introduced in the 1880s. Electric technology in automobiles was rejected due to cheaper gasoline cars and developments and innovations. unexpected events in internal combustion (IC) engines. Electric vehicles, a more environmentally friendly alternative, are now the only resource in the face of alarming climate change. As crude oil is a finite resource, electric cars may be the only way for the automotive industry to sustain this millennium.
The current era is a period of transition. Europe hopes to become completely green by 2030. New cars running on fossil fuels could be completely banned in Europe from 2035. The United States expects half of its vehicles on the road to be electric by 2030. Not just developed countries , but also developing countries are pushing for EVs to go green at the same time. Countries like India have already presented a bill to scrap diesel cars within 15 years and gasoline cars within 20 years. Several electric cars have been launched in India in the last three years and several are in the pipeline.
An electric car is wholly or partially powered by electric motors powered by energy stored in rechargeable batteries. As this is a time of transition, not all electric cars are 100% electric. This is what leaves many wondering what electric cars mean. Technically, there are five different variants of electric vehicles that are loosely grouped under the term EV. In some countries, the same vehicles are classified into three or four variants.
This article will discuss different types of electric vehicles and compare them.
Types of electric cars
Electric cars can be classified into five variants.
- Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)
- Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV)
- Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)
- Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV)
- Range Extender Hybrid Electric Vehicle (RE-HEV)
In another classification scheme, HEV and PHEV vehicles are considered subclasses of hybrid cars. Therefore, classifying electric cars into the following variants.
- Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)
- Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV)
- Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV and PHEV)
In many places, REHEVs are considered a subclass of PHEVs.
Battery electric vehicles (BEV
BEVs are fully electric vehicles. This EV variant does not use direct fossil fuel to power it. The vehicle is entirely powered by a battery-powered electric powertrain. One or two electric motors can propel the vehicle, or an integrated hub of four electric motors. An electronic engine controller controls all engines. The controller is responsible for everything, speed change, torque, braking, differential slip, etc. As no IC (internal combustion) power is deployed in the vehicle, the transmission is fully automatic. BEVs are the most efficient and 100% environmentally friendly electric vehicles.
The main components used in BEV are electric motors, electronic motor controllers, powertrains, inverters and batteries. These vehicles are capable of fast charging as well as L2 charging. The vehicle is charged by connecting it to a home or public charger directly connected to a grid or a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The electrical energy stored in the DC battery is first converted into AC with the help of an inverter. The electronic motor controller senses accelerometer acceleration and adjusts the AC power frequency accordingly. AC power frequently as it accelerates is transferred to the motors or integrated hub. The motors are attached to the wheels through a set of gears, driving the car. When the brakes are applied, the motors act as alternators redirecting energy to the battery, slowing the vehicle.
The autonomy of BEVs varies from 240 to 600 km. The top BEVs in the US are Tesla Model Y, Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model S, Ford Mustang Mach E, Nissan LEAF, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Volkswagen ID 4, and Kia Niro EV. Top BEVs in Europe are Mercedes EQ, BMW iX, BMW i4 and i3, Fiat 500, Tesla Model Y and Peugeot 208. Top BEVs in India are Tata Nexon, Tata Tigor, Hyundai Kona, MG ZS, Mahindra E20 Plus and Mahindra Verito.
Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV
While BEVs require charging from a grid or BESS, fuel cell electric vehicles carry their own electricity generator. These vehicles are powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. Just like BEVs, FCEVs are also zero-emission cars. They do not emit exhaust pollution, but water. The vehicle is installed with a hydrogen tank and fuel cells. Electricity is generated by a chemical reaction between hydrogen in the tank and oxygen in the air, which leaves water as a byproduct. The hydrogen tank needs to be refilled when it is exhausted.
The main components of an FCEV are electric motors, a hydrogen storage tank, a fuel cell stack and a battery management system, including an electronic engine controller and an electrical converter. The electricity produced by the fuel cell is stored in the battery, which is then used to drive the electric motors. A battery management system stores, converts, regulates and transmits electrical energy. FCEVs have the advantage over BEVs that there is a continuous supply of current to the battery as electricity is produced on board. The car also does not require frequent charging cycles like BEVs.
FCEVs are also purely electric cars like BEVs. Compared to BEVs, these cars get less attention and there are reasons for that. FCEVs have a complex design that requires regular maintenance. The necessary infrastructure for these cars is still scarce. The biggest disadvantage of these cars is the compressor noise, which can vary from model to model.
FCEVs offer a range of 600 to 640 km. The current FCEV models available in the US and Europe are the Hyundai Nexo and Toyota Mirai. FCEVs available in India include Hyundai Tucson FCEV, Hyundai Nexo, Toyota Mirai and Honda Clarity.
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV)
PHEVs are a series of hybrid cars. The car is primarily powered by an internal combustion engine and includes an electric motor system as an alternative to driving the vehicle. These cars have smaller low-voltage batteries compared to fully electric cars. Still, the battery is larger compared to parallel hybrids. The battery of PHEVs is charged by a grid-connected home or public charger or BESS, just like BEVs. The car starts in all-electric mode and runs on electricity until the battery runs out. Once the battery is discharged, the internal combustion engine takes over. The car's electric mode has a shorter range, between 20 and 50 km.
The main components of a PHEV are the IC engine, fuel tank, electric motors, battery, inverter and electronic engine controller. The drive system is connected to auxiliary electric motors and the conventional IC engine, but is never driven by both simultaneously. The conventional IC engine can be gasoline, diesel or biodiesel. In many PHEV models, electric motors are used to drive the rear wheels, while the IC engine is used to drive the front wheels. When the brakes are applied, the electric motors act as alternators, redirecting energy to the battery, slowing the car.
PHEVs have the advantage of not requiring charging. The car can run all-electric for daily commuting at a shorter range with a regular charging cycle. The vehicle can still be reliable for longer distances as it will switch to motor mode when the battery is discharged. The downside is that these cars are not emission-free. When they work in electric mode, they do not produce any emissions, but when connected to the engine, they produce emissions like any other gasoline car.
Top PHEVs in the US include Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid, Toyota Prius Prime, Toyota RAV4 Prime, Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid, Jeep Wrangler 4xe, Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, Hyundai Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid, Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid, Mini Cooper Countryman PHEV, Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid, Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid, Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid and Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe. Top PHEVs in Europe include Renault Zoe, Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi Outlander P-HEV, Tesla Model 3, BMW i3, Volkswagen e-Golf, Tesla Model S, Hyundai Kona EV, BMW 330e iPerformance, Volkswagen Passat GTE, Renault Kangoo ZE and Volkswagen ID.3. Top PHEVs in India include Hyundai Sonata, Volvo XC90 T8, Ford Fusion Energi, Kia Optima, Porsche Panamera S E-hybrid, BMW 330e, Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid, Mini Cooper SE Countryman, Chrysler Pacifica, Mercedes S550e, Ford C -Max Energi, Mercedes C350e, Mercedes GLE550e, Audi A3 E-Tron, BMW i8, BMW X5 xdrive40e and Fiat 500e.
Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV)
HEVs are better known as parallel hybrids or standard hybrids. In these cars, the electric motors and batteries only serve to assist the IC engine. The car is mainly powered by an engine which can be petrol, petrol or diesel. Auxiliary electric motors are linked to the main transmission so that the electric motors and engines drive the car simultaneously. The battery is not charged externally. Therefore, there is no need to charge the vehicle. Instead, the batteries are charged by the IC engine, wheel movement and regenerative braking. The battery offers extra mileage of 10 to 35 km. These cars produce emissions while driving because there is no purely electric mode of operation.
A fully hybrid car can run on just the battery. The battery is used intermittently to save fuel. However, because the battery is much smaller in HEVs compared to PHEVs and BEVs, the car can only travel a few kilometers in electric mode.
Top HEVs in the US include Toyota Prius, Toyota Corolla Hybrid, Toyota Crown, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Toyota Prius Prime, Toyota Avalon Hybrid, Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, Hyundai Ioniq, Honda Accord Hybrid, and Honda Insight. Top HEVs in Europe include Mercedes C 300 e, Mercedes E 300 e/de, Renault Captur, Toyota Prius, Toyota Yaris, Toyota Corolla, BMW 330e, BMW X5 45e, Kia Niro and Skoda Octavia iV. Top HEVs in India include Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, MG Hector, MG Hector Plus, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Honda City eHEV, Lexus NX, Lexus ES, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and Maruti Suzuki XL6.
Mild Hybrid HEV
In mild-hybrid HEVs, electric motors are often used to drive the transmission where the engine is inefficient, such as when the car accelerates from a stop. Otherwise, the IC motor is mainly used to power the wheels. Essentially, it needs an IC engine to operate the vehicle. The battery is recharged by the engine and regenerative braking only assists the engine and simultaneously acts on the transmission to increase mileage. A mild hybrid electric vehicle cannot propel the car on battery alone.
Range extender hybrid electric vehicles (RE-HEV)
These are BEVs, but with an onboard gasoline-powered generator for added insurance. The generator is only used to recharge the battery. To do this, the range extender mode must be selected. In range extender mode, unlike typical BEVs, these cars produce emissions. Some examples of electric vehicles with range extenders are the Chevrolet Volt, Cadillac ELR, BMW i3 REX and Nissan Gripz Concept.
