What Type of Electric Vehicles Are There?

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular and come in a variety of types. Here are some of the most common ones:

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs)

When people talk about EVs, they usually mean Battery Electric Vehicles. These vehicles are fully electric and don't have a gasoline engine. They use energy from a rechargeable battery pack, making them zero-emission vehicles that don't produce tailpipe emissions or air pollution.

Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs)

Hybrid Electric Vehicles use both a gasoline engine and an electric motor. During regenerative braking, the vehicle captures energy that would be lost in traditional gas-powered cars. This energy is then used to assist the gasoline engine during acceleration.

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs)

Like traditional hybrids, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles use both an engine and an electric motor, and they can partially recharge their battery through regenerative braking. However, PHEVs have a larger battery and can also be plugged into the grid to recharge. They can travel for several dozen miles using electric power before the gas engine provides assistance. Once the electric range is depleted, the PHEV acts like a traditional hybrid and can run on gasoline.