What Type of Electric Vehicles Are There?
The ownership of Electric Vehicles (EVs) is on the rise nationwide, and shoppers have a variety of choices when it comes to selecting a type of EV. Below, we've provided an overview of some of the most common ones.
Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs)
When people talk about EVs, they are usually referring to Battery Electric Vehicles. These vehicles run solely on electricity from a rechargeable battery pack, without using a gasoline engine. BEVs are considered zero-emission vehicles because they don't produce harmful tailpipe emissions or air pollution like traditional gas-powered vehicles.
Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs)
Hybrid Electric Vehicles combine a gas-powered engine and an electric motor. The battery can be charged through regenerative braking, which captures energy that's normally lost as heat during braking and repurposes it to assist the gasoline engine during acceleration.
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs)
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles also have both an engine and an electric motor. Like traditional hybrids, they can recharge their battery through regenerative braking. However, PHEVs have a larger battery and can be plugged into a grid to recharge. They can travel for several dozen miles before the gas engine kicks in, and once the all-electric range is depleted, they function as regular hybrids and can travel on gasoline.