Electric vehicle
hideAn electric vehicle (EV), also referred to as an electric drive vehicle, is a vehicle which uses one or more electric motors for propulsion. Depending on the type of vehicle, motion may be provided by wheels or propellers driven by rotary motors, or in the case of tracked vehicles, by linear motors. Electric vehicles can include electric cars, electric trains, electric airplanes, electric boats, electric motorcycles and scooters, and electric spacecraft.
Electric vehicles first came into existence in the mid-19th century, when electricity was among the preferred methods for automobile propulsion, providing a level of comfort and ease of operation that could not be achieved by the gasoline cars of the time. At one time the internal combustion engine (ICE) had completely replaced the electric drive as a propulsion method for automobiles, but electric power has remained commonplace in other vehicle types, such as trains and smaller vehicles of all types.
Electric vehicles are distinct from fossil fuel-powered vehicles in that they can receive their power from a number of sources, including fossil fuels themselves, nuclear power, and renewable sources such as tidal power, solar power, and wind power. This energy is then transmitted to the vehicle through use of overhead lines, wireless energy transfer, or a direct connection through an electrical cable. The electricity may then be stored onboard the vehicle using a battery, flywheel, supercapacitor, or fuel cell. Vehicles making use of engines working on the principle of combustion can usually only derive their energy from a single or a few sources, usually non-renewable fossil fuels.
At the beginning of the 21st century, increased concern over the environmental impact of the petroleum-based transportation infrastructure, along with the spectre of peak oil, led to renewed interest in an electric transportation infrastructure. As such, vehicles which can potentially be powered by renewable energy sources, such as hybrid electric vehicles or pure electric vehicles, are becoming more popular.
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News tagged with electric vehicles
Car That Runs on Compressed Air Questioned by Critics (w/ Video)
Nov 03, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- As electric cars begin breaking into the short-distance vehicle market, one French company thinks that it has an alternative to the electric vehicle: a car that runs on compressed air. Motor ...
Researchers customizing electric cars for cost-effective urban commuting
Nov 16, 2009 |
3.3 / 5 (7) |
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Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute have converted a 2001 Scion xB into an electric commuter vehicle that will serve as a test bed for a new community-based approach to electric vehicle design, ...
Toyota to release solar charger for electric vehicles
Oct 27, 2009 |
4.2 / 5 (26) |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Toyota is developing a solar charging station for electric cars and plug-in hybrids, making a green technology even greener. It has also designed a battery charger for mounting inside an electric ...
Solar Roadways Awarded DOT Contract to Pave Roads with Solar Cells
Sep 07, 2009 |
4.5 / 5 (52) |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- In a first step toward turning highways into energy-generating solar panels, the Sagle, Idaho-based startup Solar Roadways has recently received a $100,000 grant from the US Department of ...
New findings could help hybrid, electric cars keep their cool
Sep 22, 2009 |
3.3 / 5 (3) |
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Understanding precisely how fluid boils in tiny "microchannels" has led to formulas and models that will help engineers design systems to cool high-power electronics in electric and hybrid cars, aircraft, ...
Germany wants a million electric cars by 2020
Aug 19, 2009 |
4.4 / 5 (8) |
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The German government unveiled plans Wednesday to get one million electric cars zipping around the country by 2020, offering sweeteners to jump-start national giants like BMW and Volkswagen into action.
Chicago Installs Solar Powered Charging Station for Electric Vehicles
Apr 10, 2009 |
4.8 / 5 (60) |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- One of the biggest arguments that some have made against plug-in electric vehicles is that they still promote the use of fossil fuels. When you have to plug in a car for a charge, the electricity ...
Electric cars take on hybrids at Tokyo show
Oct 21, 2009 |
3.7 / 5 (3) |
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Futuristic concept cars, plug-in hybrids, zero-emission electric vehicles and even a hydrogen-powered scooter jostled for the limelight as the Tokyo Motor Show kicked off on Wednesday.
Tesla to unveil electric 5-seat sedan next week
Mar 19, 2009 |
4.4 / 5 (14) |
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US electric automaker Tesla Motors, which launched a breakthrough gas-free sports car last year, announced Thursday it will unveil in coming days a five-seat sedan, to roll off assembly lines by 2011.
Smart Charger Controller simplifies electric vehicle recharging (w/Video)
Apr 30, 2009 |
4.3 / 5 (7) |
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Electric vehicle owners can plug in their cars and forget about them, knowing they'll get the cheapest electricity available and won't crash the grid - using a new technology called the Smart Charger Controller. ...
Toyota unveils 'green' sports car
Oct 06, 2009 |
3.1 / 5 (7) |
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Toyota unveiled Tuesday a new lightweight, sporty concept car inspired by an iconic coupe from the 1980s, saying its vision of the future was both mean and green.
Panasonic Develops High Energy Lithium-ion Battery Module with High Reliability
Oct 01, 2009 |
4.6 / 5 (5) |
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Panasonic Corp. has developed a 1.5 kWh battery module from 18650-type (18 mm in diameter x 65 mm in length) lithium-ion battery cells, which are widely used in laptop computers, to provide energy storage ...
Drag racing goes green as US electric cars shine
Sep 06, 2009 |
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Far from the fury of traditional race-tracks, spectators got a glimpse of the future as they watched electric cars rev up, and silently bomb off around the Mason-Dixon Dragway.
300 mph: New Land Speed Record for a Hydrogen Powered Vehicle
Sep 28, 2009 |
4.3 / 5 (7) |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- One of the complaints that many have with regard to vehicles powered by alternative energy is the fact that they don't really have a lot of speed. However, this does not necessarily have to ...
Electric cars star at Frankfurt fair
Sep 16, 2009 |
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The Frankfurt auto show hummed with talk of electric vehicles Wednesday but experts predict cars will roll on a variety of power sources for a while.
