An electric car generates all its propulsion solely from an electric motor without the benefit of an internal combustion engine (ICE). Currently, the most common type of electric car propels itself with an electric motor extracting energy stored in a high-capacity battery. Such a vehicle is often referred to as an EV (electric vehicle) or sometimes, more accurately, as a BEV (battery electric vehicle).

The main advantages of an electric vehicle: It doesn’t consume gasoline, and its exhaust is emission-free. All that comes out of an electric car’s tailpipe is water vapor.

Because of the size of the battery or battery array, fully charging an EV battery requires connecting to an outside source of electricity. In other words, it must be plugged in. Currently, you will find three charging options for electric cars: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 DC fast charging.

Typically, that battery-charging source can be as common as a 120-volt household outlet (Level 1). However, because of the energy an electric car battery needs to charge fully, reaching a 100% charge using a 120-volt source is timed in days, not hours. Another home charging solution uses a 240-volt source (Level 2), like those used to power an electric clothes dryer or electric stove. This greatly reduces charging times from 24-36 hours to as little as 8-12 hours. Speeding the process in most cases to an hour or less are commercial fast chargers (Level 3 DC fast chargers) found at public charging facilities.

BEV Alternative

Several carmakers are also developing a second type of EV that doesn’t require plugging into an electric source. Called an FCEV (fuel cell electric vehicle), it feeds its electric motor with energy produced by the chemical reaction of mixing air with hydrogen gas. FCEVs can be refueled with hydrogen at filling stations like ICE cars fill up with gasoline. The range on a full tank of hydrogen is about the same as the average ICE car, and filling the hydrogen tank is no more time-consuming than fueling an ICE car. At this time, hydrogen cars are extremely rare and mostly limited to certain parts of California.

Read Related Articles on Electric Vehicles: