Introduction – Electric Vehicles

A transformation in the automotive industry is occurring. While many alternative fueled vehicles have been proposed for years, the electric vehicle (EV) is emerging as the preferred technology. Battery technology has been at the forefront of this transformation. As the cost and weight of an EV battery is reduced, the price of an EV is edging closer to the price of an internal combustion engine (ICE – gasoline and diesel) vehicle. Even though currently the number of EVs on the road is relatively small, the market is significantly growing. Governments have or are beginning to make projected bans on new ICE vehicle sales in the near future. This movement, plus the increase in carbon emissions into the environment, is accelerating the adoption of EVs. This course will help you identify how EVs have progressed since the invention of the automobile, explain how an EV works, classify methods to charge an EV, and compare EV manufacturers. This course focuses on 100% battery electric vehicles. Sometimes purely electric vehicles are referred to as battery electric vehicles and are abbreviated as BEVs. This course uses the more popular abbreviation EV. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), extended range electric vehicles (EREVs), and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) are covered in the course “Alternative Fuels and Designs”.