New Energy Vehicles

Instead of using gasoline, all-electric vehicles (also known as EVs or BEVs) have a sizable battery that powers one or more electric motors. As new models are released, all-electric vehicle ranges increase from 80 to more than 300 miles. When compared to gas-powered vehicles, all-electric vehicles require less maintenance (such as oil changes, smog checks, spark plug changes, and replacing a catalytic converter or other parts that wear out and break down).

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) provide both gas-only and electric-only driving—even at relatively high speeds. Plug-in hybrids can travel 20 to 55 miles on electricity alone and emit no emissions while doing so, and they do so with smaller batteries than battery electric vehicles. When the car’s electric range is exhausted, it switches to gas and continues to operate as a typical car would.

All-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles use electricity to power their engines, but fuel cell electric vehicles (also known as FCEVs) use electricity differently. Its power system is made up of a stack of numerous cells that chemically combine hydrogen gas from the car’s tank and airborne oxygen to create electricity. Fuel cells have a driving range of 300–400 miles on a single tank and can be refueled at hydrogen fueling stations, which are more prevalent in California. This process takes about five minutes.

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), sometimes called "self-charging hybrids," use both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, which uses electricity stored in a battery pack. The main difference between PHEVs and HEVs is that you cannot plug a HEV into an EV charger to charge the battery. Instead, the onboard battery pack is charged by the engine and regenerative braking. The extra power generated by electric motors can allow vehicles to have smaller engines. The battery pack can serve as an auxiliary battery for the car, helping to reduce idling when parked. This allows for better fuel economy and lower emissions compared to cars with conventional engines.

One of the drawbacks of electric cars is battery life. As with all batteries, capacity decreases over time. Researchers suggest battery capacity decreases by about 2.3% per year. Battery life depends heavily on temperature. One study found that in Florida, where temperatures are higher, batteries lasted an average of 5.2 years. In Alaska's cold climate, they can live up to 13.3 years. Therefore, it is necessary to check the status of your car battery regularly.

Electric climate control systems have been proven to reduce a vehicle's range if they are inefficient. This is a particular problem when the car is started in low ambient temperatures. Therefore, during the winter, drivers may find that their car's heating system is less efficient. While climate control systems in gasoline and diesel cars are generally not very efficient, they have the benefit of using large amounts of waste heat to heat the cabin.

From faulty temperature sensors to malfunctioning power doors, many EV drivers have complained about issues with their in-car electronics. Other electronics, such as temperature sensors, are critical to ensuring the battery is operating within safe limits. Therefore, any electronic sensor issues must be flagged and fixed quickly.

Current data shows that electric vehicles are no more likely to catch fire than petrol or diesel vehicles. However, there is one caveat. Once ignited, lithium-ion batteries are so difficult to extinguish that some manufacturers recommend that firefighters let the car burn in a controlled manner rather than try to put out the blaze. Therefore, you should avoid overheating your battery and know what to do if a fire occurs.