EV HEV PHEV FCEV
Electric vehicle, or EV, is an umbrella term for various types of battery-powered vehicles. It can be a polarizing or politicized term, so some people feel they need to decide if they’re EV enthusiasts or anti-EV skeptics. In reality, the issue is more nuanced than that. There are three types of EVs. Some run exclusively on battery power, while others combine battery and gas power.
The Four main kinds of electric vehicles are
- Fully battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs, or BEVs)
- Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs)
- Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)
- Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV)
Each has pros and cons in terms of fuel efficiency, cost, and driving experience. Here are the key differences between an EV, HEV, PHEV and FCEV so you can choose the right one for your needs.
What is Battery Electric Vehicle?
EVs, confusingly also known as BEVs (battery electric vehicles), have no internal combustion engine to convert gasoline into propulsion power. Instead, they run solely on electricity from one or more large battery.
EVs began as a semi-secret driving choice for the naturally cognizant, however, in the principal half of 2022 they hit a tipping point with regards to mass adoption, as per Bloomberg; completely battery-controlled EVs presently represent 5% of new vehicle deals in the US. While still a little part, this is the degree of reception where numerous new innovations — like cell phones, TVs, and the web — begin to speed up their change from the edges to the standard.
Fueling up an EV means plugging a charging nozzle into a port hidden by a flap on the outside of the vehicle, very similar to a traditional gas cap. Electricity can then flow into the battery. There are a variety of public and private charging options, and most manufacturers include a home charger with purchase. It fits into a standard home outlet on one end and goes into the car on the other, so you can power up overnight or whenever the car is in the garage.
Home charging makes EVs an excellent option for driving around town or commuting, especially with workplace charging on the rise as an employee perk. Most people do the majority of their EV driving without ever going to a public charging station.
In terms of longer trips, a full charge yields 200 to 400 miles, or several hours of driving. Longer than a few hours of driving means multiple charging stops, adding anywhere from 30 minutes to multiple hours each time, depending on the charging level of the stations you find.
An increasing number of highway rest stops have fast chargers, which will allow you to top off in 30 minutes to an hour, but they are still limited. Car manufacturers and the government are working together to expand the national fast charging network, through efforts such as gas station partnerships and the federal infrastructure bill. But until charging stations are as ubiquitous as gas stations, it’s critical to plan where you will charge along your route.
Main Components of BEV
- Battery
- Electric motor
- Inverter
- Control Module
- Drive train
Working Principle of Battery Electric Vehicles
For the electric motor, power is transformed from the Direct Current (DC) battery to alternating current (AC).
The accelerator pedal sends a signal to the controller, which modifies the frequency of the AC flowing from the inverter to the motor to regulate the vehicle’s speed.
The motor connects to and rotates the wheels through a gear.
When the brakes are applied or the electric vehicle is decelerating, the motor transforms into an alternator and generates electricity, which is then returned to the battery
Examples of Battery Electric Vehicle
- Tesla Model 3
- Tesla X
- Toyota Rav4
- BMW i3
- Karma Revera
- Kia Soul
What is a Hybrid Electric Vehicle?
Hybrids were the first major market entrant when it comes to EVs, particularly with the Prius’ global debut in the early 2000s. These vehicles combine an internal combustion engine with an electric-powered motor, switching between the two to improve fuel economy.
For example, when a hybrid car is stopped, it is likely silently running on the electricity of the battery rather than idling with gas. When it starts up, the internal combustion engine kicks back in.
Hybrids typically claim as high as two times the miles per gallon of a gas-powered vehicle, ranging from 40 to 60 mpg. The average fuel economy of a gas-powered vehicle was 25.4 mpg in 2021, according to a study by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Instead of charging through an external port like EVs or PHEVs, HEVs replenishes their batteries autonomously through energy from the gas engine. They also use “regenerative breaking,” as do EVs and PHEVs. Whenever you brake, the vehicle captures energy normally lost and stores it for later use.
Without the hassle of finding charging stations and spending the extra time powering up, hybrids have a no-brainer quality to them—as long as you can afford the extra cost, that is. They are typically a few thousand dollars more than gas-powered cars, but less than plug-in EVs.
For example, the 2022 gas-powered Toyota Rav 4 starts at $26,975. The hybrid version is $29,575, and the plug-in electric hybrid version is $40,300. But whenever gas prices spike, it’s easy to see how the cost evens out over time.
Main Components of HEV
- Control module
- Fuel tank
- Engine
- Battery packs with controller & inverter
- Electric motor
Working Principle of Hybrid Electric Vehicles
- Similar to a standard automobile that has a fuel tank that delivers gas to the engine.
- It also contains a battery pack that powers an electric motor.
- Both the engine and the electric motor may turn the gearbox simultaneously.
Examples of Hybrid Electric Vehicles
- Toyota Prius Hybrid
- Toyota Camry Hybrid
- Honda Civic Hybrid
What is a Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle?
Essentially a combination of an EV and an HEV, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is built to run on both gas and battery power. The key difference is that the power comes from plug-in chargers, making them more like an EV. When the battery power runs out, PHEVs switch to gas like a hybrid, though some — like the 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe PHEV — allow you to drive with the gas engine first while preserving battery power, which you can switch to later.
Due to their bigger battery, PHEVs can go much longer than hybrids on pure electricity, giving you excellent fuel economy. In the Rav 4 examples, the gas-powered version has a 27 mpg (city driving), the hybrid version comes in at 41 mpg, and the PHEV truly impresses with 94 MPGe.
Like a hybrid, many PHEVs do a small amount of recharging while driving, primarily through regenerative braking. However, they are engineered to charge primarily through the plug-in port. Only then will you achieve the ability to drive purely on electricity for a certain number of miles, which is a distinct advantage over hybrids, whose small battery exists primarily to complement the gas engine or perform ancillary functions such as running the air conditioning.
You can charge your PHEV at home and at public charging stations, giving you a taste of the EV life with the security of a gas tank to bring peace of mind on long trips.
PHEVs normally have at least two modes of operation:
- Allele citric Mode, in which the motor and battery supply all of the energy for the vehicle;
- Hybrid Mode, in which both electricity and fuel are used.
Main Components of PHEV
- Battery
- Electric motor
- Engine
- Control module
- Fuel tank
- Battery Charger (if onboard model)
- Inverter
Working Principle of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles
- PHEVs normally start in all-electric mode and run on energy until their battery pack runs out of juice.
- When certain models reach highway cruising speeds of 60 or 70 miles per hour, they switch to hybrid mode.
- When the battery runs out, the engine kicks in and the car works as a standard, non-plug-in hybrid.
- PHEV batteries can be charged by an internal combustion engine or regenerative braking, in addition to connecting to an external electric power source.
- During braking, the electric motor functions as a generator, transferring energy to the battery. Because the electric motor supports the engine’s power, smaller engines can be used, enhancing fuel efficiency without sacrificing performance.
Examples of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles
- BMW X5 xdrive40e
- Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid
- BMW 330e
- Mercedes GLE550e
- Hyundai Sonata
- Porsche Panamera S E-hybrid
Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), also known as fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) or Zero Emission Vehicles, are electric vehicles that use “Fuel Cell Technology” to create the electricity needed to power the vehicle.
The chemical energy of the gasoline is turned directly into electric energy in this sort of vehicle.
Main Components of FCEV
- Battery with converter and controller
- Hydrogen storage tank
- Electric motor
- Fuel-cell stack
Working Principle of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle
The operation of a ‘fuel cell’ electric car differs from that of a ‘plug-in’ electric vehicle.
This sort of electric car exists because the FCEV creates the electricity needed to power the vehicle
Examples of Fuel cell Electric Vehicles
- Hyundai Nexo
- Honda Clarity Fuel Cell
- Riversimple Rasa
- Toyota Mirai
- Hyundai Tucson FCEV
- Hyundai Nexo
Future Scope of Electric Vehicles (EV)
Electric cars have great future potential. The charging station is the logical starting point for these cars. However, this is merely the first stage in a potentially long trip that will include charging banks and other industrial sites, as well as homes and cities.
As a result, the future potential of electric cars is enormous.
Electric vehicle technology has been at labs such as NASA since the 1970s. In a few years, current technology will undoubtedly be significantly more sophisticated.
The future of the electric vehicles global market is expanding at a CAGR of 21.7%, which is expected to continue. Growth from 8.1 million units is anticipated to reach 39.21 million by 2030. Multiple factors, including worries about pollution, are driving this rapid expansion
Some predict that electric vehicles will soon be able to fuel themselves by gathering energy from their surroundings. Such cars will require less maintenance and may potentially be powered by renewable energy sources such as wind.
Conclusion
From the first electric vehicle in 1837 to the present, we have witnessed significant developments, mainly in terms of technology, but also in people’s attitudes on the environmental impacts of cars and other mobility solutions.
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