Electric vehicles (EVs) are powered by batteries that can be charged with electricity. All-electric vehicles are fully powered by plugging in to an electrical source, whereas plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) use an internal combustion engine and an electric motor powered by a battery to improve the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.
What Types of Electric Vehicles Are There?
All-Electric Vehicles
All-electric vehicles, also known as battery electric vehicles, rely on batteries to power one or more electric motors. The battery is charged by plugging the vehicle into an electric source and through regenerative braking.
Most electric vehicles can travel from 150–400 miles on a fully charged battery, depending on the model, driving conditions, and driving habits. This is well within the range of 90% of all U.S. daily household trips (100 miles).
Fully electrified EVs differ from gas-powered cars in several ways, such as:
- Electric cars do not burn fossil fuels in the vehicle, so they do not have internal combustion engines or catalytic converters.
- EVs do not produce emissions while driving, which means no tailpipe is necessary.
- EVs can accelerate more quickly than gas-powered vehicles because electric motors provide instant torque and work without a transmission that requires gears to shift.
- Electric cars never require oil changes or fueling at the gas pump, just to be plugged in to an outlet.
Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles
PHEVs can travel moderate distances of about 15–60 miles on electricity alone. The gasoline fuel kicks in to power the engine when the battery is mostly depleted, during rapid acceleration, at high speeds, or when intensive heating or air conditioning is required.
When running on battery power alone, PHEVs produce no tailpipe emissions. Even when conventional fuel is powering the engine, technologies such as regenerative braking that boost vehicle efficiency mean that PHEVs typically consume less gasoline and produce fewer emissions than similar conventional vehicles.
PHEVs can be fueled with conventional gasoline without needing to be electrically charged before driving, but they will not achieve maximum fuel economy or take full advantage of their electric capabilities without being charged. The battery of a PHEV can be charged by plugging it into an electric power source, through regenerative braking, and by the engine.
What Are the Benefits and Costs and How Do I Charge and Buy an Electric Vehicle?
All-electric vehicles and PHEVs offer a number of benefits when compared with conventional vehicles, as outlined in this table.
Benefit Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles All-Electric Vehicles Fuel Economy Most achieve combined fuel economy ratings higher than 90 miles per gallon equivalent (mpge).* Most achieve fuel economy ratings higher than 100 mpge.* Emissions Reductions PHEVs produce no tailpipe emissions when in electric-only mode. Generally, they produce less than half the emissions. All-electric vehicles produce no tailpipe emissions. Generally, they produce one-third the emissions. Fuel Cost Savings In electric-only mode, electricity costs range about $0.03–$0.10 per mile. On gasoline only, fuel costs are about $0.04–$0.36 per mile. Electricity costs are $0.02–$0.06 per mile. Fuel Flexibility PHEVs can fuel at gas stations. PHEVs can be charged at:
- Home
- Public charging stations
- Some workplaces.
All-electric vehicles can be charged at:
- Home
- Public charging stations
- Some workplaces.
Safety PHEVs meet federal motor vehicle safety standards. All-electric vehicles meet federal motor vehicle safety standards. Maintenance PHEVs require maintenance similar to conventional vehicles. Brake systems typically last longer. All-electric vehicles require less maintenance with fewer moving parts and fluids to change. Brake systems typically last longer. * Mpge represents the number of miles a vehicle can travel using a quantity of fuel (or electricity) with the same energy content as a gallon of gasoline.
Although EVs generally cost more up front than conventional vehicles, lower fueling and maintenance costs can make them cost-competitive in the long term. Electricity is less expensive than gasoline or diesel on an energy-equivalent basis; EV drivers can save as much as $14,500 in fuel costs alone over 15 years.
These resources will help you charge your EV and locate charging stations:
Use the vehicle finder on FuelEconomy.gov to find an EV and compare vehicles.
Subscribe to receive updates from Energy Saver, including new blogs, updated content, and seasonal energy saving tips for consumers and homeowners.