An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle that uses one or more electric motors for propulsion. An electric vehicle may be powered through a collector system by electricity from off-vehicle sources, or may be self-contained with a battery, solar panels, fuel cells or an electric generator to convert fuel to electricity. EVs include, but are not limited to, road and rail vehicles, surface and underwater vessels, electric aircraft and electric spacecraft.
EVs first came into existence in the mid-19th century, when electricity was among the preferred methods for motor vehicle propulsion, providing a level of comfort and ease of operation that could not be achieved by the gasoline cars of the time. Internal combustion engines were the dominant propulsion method for cars and trucks for about 100 years, but electric power remained commonplace in other vehicle types, such as trains and smaller vehicles of all types.
In the 21st century, EVs have seen a resurgence due to technological developments, and an increased focus on renewable energy and the potential reduction of transportation’s impact on climate change and other environmental issues. Project Drawdown describes electric vehicles as one of the 100 best contemporary solutions for addressing climate change.
In real-world driving conditions, the CO₂ emissions of plug-in hybrid cars are nearly five times higher than official tests suggest, according to an analysis by the European Environment Agency. Automakers often present plug-in hybrids as a more conventional alternative to fully electric vehicles, as they combine a gasoline or diesel engine with an electric motor and a battery that can be charged from the power grid.
As hydrogen infrastructure is rolled out in the EU, refuelling stations must be distributed according to the same principle in all countries. However, a study from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden now highlights shortcomings in EU regulations. Using an advanced model, the researchers show that the distribution of refueling stations may be incorrectly dimensioned and lead to losses of tens of millions of euros a year in some countries.
Elon Musk is a master in attracting attention with provocative oneliners and suggestive tweets. Many of those were aimed at boosting his green image, and that of his companies and products. Like Tesla electric cars. The facts, however, tell a different story.
Electric and hybrid cars create more carbon emissions during their production than standard vehicles. That reduces their short term climate advantage.
Driving an EV is better for the climate. But that does not mean everyone can have their own. That would make climate problems even worse.
Thorough research and experimentation of sodium-ion batteries continues to take place as it is an industry with a huge market potential.
If an electric car charges while driving, the size of the battery can be reduced by up to 70 percent, and the load on the power grid can be spread out over the day.
Michelin is the first manufacturer in the world to unveil sustainable car tires with a high proportion of environmentally sustainable materials that have been approved for use on ordinary road vehicles.
Mahi Two, an uncrewed surface vessel (USV), has become what is believed to be the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean using only solar power.
Lightyear, the solar electric vehicle pioneer, has achieved a major performance milestone by driving 710 km of range on one battery charge.