7 Things That Are Different In Electric Cars (Explained)

A report by the International Energy Agency identified over 10 million electric cars in use in 2020 globally.

Two years later, the number is expected to have significantly grown as more drivers embrace the evolution of technology in transport.

Rising fuel costs and Tesla’s historical success in the stock market are significant contributors to the increase in electric car sales.

This article will focus on what differentiates electric cars from gas-driven cars.

We also have a list here of things that work differently in electric cars.

#1 They Are Silent

Electric vehicles are relatively silent when on the road.

However, a new EU rule enforced from July 2019 requires these vehicles to emit artificial noise.

This noise will help promote road safety by alerting pedestrians and cyclists of an oncoming car. They guarantee more silent driving than conventional vehicles since the noise is only on the vehicle’s exterior.

Check out more here about why electric cars and hybrid cars are so quiet.

#2 They Typically Don’t Have Gears

Most electric vehicles do not have gears as the electric motor doesn’t need them.

That said, we do have a few electric cars with manual gears and transmissions.

The torque in electric car is more constant and the reaction is faster when you hit the speed pedal because the motor doesn’t have to shift gears. This also means you only find two pedals in electric cars.

#3 Fun Fact: They Have Pet-Friendly Settings

Good news for you dog lovers out there.

One of Tesla’s latest units introduced a pet-friendly feature that creates an ideal environment to travel with your pets. Dog mode allows drivers to activate the Overheat Cabin Protection to ensure the car is cool enough for your pet.

You can monitor the vehicle’s temperature on the center touchscreen panel and identify if all is well with your animal friend.

#4 You Increase Your Range By Braking

While electric cars cannot charge while driving, they may charge when braking. Electric vehicles work differently from conventional cars when it comes to breaks.

They have a regenerative braking configuration that passes some electric charges to your battery every time you brake. It means the more you break, the more you increase your car’s range, allowing you to drive even further.

When going downhill, electric car drivers are guaranteed to increase their mile range once they get to the bottom.

Read more here about how brakes work in electric cars.

#5 They Have “One Moving Part”

The only moving part in all-electric vehicles is the motor.

We have made a comparison of how many parts electrics have compared to gas-driven models.

On the other hand, conventional cars have hundreds of moving parts working towards power and torque distribution.

This feature is more of an advantage in electric cars, since less maintenance is required, and the reliability scores are high.

The electric motor only moves the shaft, requiring little to no maintenance procedures.

#6 They Use Charging Points To Refill

Conventional vehicles use petrol stations to refill gasoline, while electric cars rely on charging points to recharge their batteries.

The charging points feature ports where you plug into your vehicle and wait for some minutes as it charges.

The time it takes for a full charge depends on several elements, with fuel cell vehicles being the fastest.

Surprisingly, there are more charging points than petrol stations in the UK.

More importantly, you can charge your electric car at any charging station.

It encourages the use of electric vehicles and makes charging your car outside easier. Some petrol stations also offer electric car charging facilities.

#7 They Run On Electricity

Wondering if a Tesla can run on gas?

It cannot.

All electric vehicles rely 100% on electricity to charge their batteries and power the motor.

You’d think that electric cars would have backup batteries, but that’s not the case. If you run out of power, you’re stuck – just like if you run out of gas in a gas-driven car.

Rechargeable batteries store the electricity and turn your vehicle’s wheels by powering an electric motor.

Different units come with varying capacity batteries, making it necessary to match the vehicle’s purpose to its battery capacity.

What Are the Advantages to Using Electric Vehicles?

Let’s look at the advantages.

No Gas Required

Electric vehicles alternate gas for electricity to power the cars.

There are many advantages to not using gas again, and saving on fuel prices is a major one. It is expensive to maintain a fuel-based car in today’s economy.

Electric vehicles use five cents per mile while conventional units consume around 15 cents, proving electricity is cheaper than gas-powered units.

This also means that electric cars don’t have gas tanks and engines. Though this isn’t true for hybrids – they do in fact both have a motor and an engine (and therefore also a gas tank.).

This is also why electric cars don’t have tailpipes and exhaust systems.

More Convenient

Electric cars are more convenient than gas-powered vehicles.

Charging is easy, and you can charge even when at home. You no longer need to visit a refill station to fuel before every long trip. Even the standard household wall sockets can plug and charge your electric car.

Good for the global economy

Electric cars also benefit the global economy.

In the article we link to above, we outline some of the main factors that help the economy as we see more and more electric cars on the street.

Zero Emissions

Electric cars guarantee no emissions as they do not have a tailpipe.

We wrote an article about whether electric cars actually do pollute the air a bit.

It is their biggest advantage as they play a significant role in promoting a green environment. By running on a clean energy source, your car does not emit smoke or toxic gases to the environment.

They also reduce noise pollution by maintaining a quieter operation and smoother drives.

Safety

The safety ratings of electric vehicles significantly exceed those of conventional cars. Each unit undergoes a vigorous fitness and testing procedure to guarantee road safety.

Their low center of gravity improves their stability and makes them safer to use.

Airbags will deploy, and the electricity supply will be cut from the battery in case an accident occurs.

How Fast Does An Electric Car Charge?

How fast an electric car can charge depends on several factors, and the time ranges from 30 minutes to ten hours.

The slowest charging time is around 8 to 10 hours and involves using a 3Kw rated plug. There is a 7Kw or 22Kw charging configuration, which takes 3 to 4 hours.

The rapid charge is the fastest configuration and only works in vehicles compatible with quick charging.

It normally takes less than an hour to charge your battery fully.

How Far Can A Full Charge Take You?

The distance covered by your electric car significantly depends on the battery capacity.

The greater your battery’s capacity, the further you can travel without a recharge. The Volkswagen e-Golf can cover 125 miles, while the Jaguar I-Pace can reach 220 miles.

Check our article here with 15 affordable electric cars with the highest range.

Fully Electric Cars

These cars have an electricity-powered motor with batteries or fuel cells as a power source. However, there are different configurations of the various electric vehicles available.

They include plug-in hybrids, conventional hybrids, and battery-electric cars.

These vehicles are environmentally friendly, with nearly zero air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The greenhouse emission in electric vehicles powered by clean electricity grids equals a conventional car exceeding 100 miles per gallon.

Charging with renewable solar or wind will guarantee an emission-free drive. Here are the different types of electric vehicles you can consider.

Plug-in Hybrids

Plug-in hybrids use electricity and fuel to power vehicle components and facilitate normal functioning.

They guarantee increased environmental performance and reduce refueling costs significantly. You can charge its battery and use it as a power substitute, saving the reserved fuel for later. Your engine can use gasoline on long trips or when your battery is out of juice.

You will need to park and plug your vehicle into a reserved charging outlet to use your battery as a power source effectively.

A regular 120V outlet also proves sufficient to charge your car.

It is unlikely that your plug-in hybrid electric vehicle can accommodate more than five passengers or even tow. For affordable electric cars that tow well check this article.

Battery-Electric Cars

Battery-electric cars are units with electricity as their only fuel, making it essential to consider the vehicle’s use of its battery range.

You should consider vehicles with substantial batteries if you know your car will be handling involving and cumbersome activities.

Battery range is slowly becoming less of a concern since recharging away from home is more straightforward.

Check our list of affordable electric cars with good driving range.

These electric vehicle variants are the greenest cars, replacing gasoline with electricity and guaranteeing zero tailpipe emissions. If you are a climate-conscious commuter, you will significantly contribute to a greener environment.

By trying out fuel cell vehicles, you can enjoy long driving ranges and fast refueling times.

Conventional Hybrids

Conventional hybrids are not ideally considered electric vehicles but have several similar features.

These units have the convenience and range of traditional vehicles but also include an electric motor in their configuration. They derive most of their power from diesel or gasoline and do not charge through a plug-in socket.

Through regenerative braking, the motor collects energy to power your vehicle.

How Do Electric Cars Work?

Battery electric vehicles is another name used to refer to electric vehicles. Instead of using an internal combustion engine, these cars use an electric motor to power your vehicle’s drivetrain.

A large traction battery pack helps store electricity, but you need to plug it into charging equipment or a wall outlet.

Electric vehicles do not emit unfriendly gases to the environment, making them green transportation modes.

Here are the critical components of every electric car:

• A battery to power your vehicle and its accessories
• A charge port to allow vehicles to connect to an external power supply for charging the car’s battery
• A DC/DC converter to convert higher voltage power from the battery to a lower voltage DC to run the car and recharge your batteries
• An electric traction motor that uses the energy from the battery to drive the wheels of your car
• An onboard charger that converts incoming AC electricity to DC for battery charging
• A power electronics controller manages the electrical energy flow from the battery and controls the speed and torque produced by the motor.
• Thermal cooling system to regulate the operating temperature range of your engine, power electronics, electric motor, and other components of your vehicle
• An electric transmission to transfer mechanical power from your traction motor to the wheels

We also have an article about how many parts electrics have compared to gas-driven models.

In Closing

It is time you consider switching to an electric vehicle to enjoy the many benefits offered. Although they are relatively priced higher, EVs are more economical than most conventional cars.

The information shared in this post is enough to show you why more people continue to embrace electric vehicles globally.

Resources

https://www.iea.org/reports/electric-vehicles

https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/what-are-electric-cars

https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/how-do-all-electric-cars-work

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