What are electric cars

The document defines electric vehicles (EVs) as cars or trucks powered by electric motors using batteries or fuel cells, distinguishing them from conventional hybrids. It categorizes EVs into battery-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, noting that EVs generally produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions than fossil-fuel vehicles. The guide highlights that battery-electric cars offer the lowest emissions and simplest maintenance, while plug-in hybrids provide a bridge for those with longer trips, and fuel cell vehicles offer fast refueling but suffer from limited infrastructure, particularly in the US.

• Electric vehicles (EVs) are categorized into three main types: battery-electric vehicles that run exclusively on electricity, plug-in hybrids that combine a combustion engine with a rechargeable battery, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that convert hydrogen gas into electricity.
• Conventional hybrid vehicles are not classified as EVs because they cannot be plugged into the grid and rely entirely on burning gasoline or diesel for energy, although they improve efficiency by capturing energy during braking.
• EVs generally produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions and less air pollution than the most efficient fossil-fuel vehicles, with the average US battery-electric vehicle's emissions being comparable to a car achieving over 100 miles per gallon.
• Battery-electric vehicles offer advantages over conventional cars including no tailpipe emissions, simpler maintenance due to the lack of an engine, and better driving performance characterized by quieter operation and quicker acceleration.
• Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles provide fast refueling and long ranges but are limited by the scarcity of refueling stations and a small number of available passenger models, though they may be suitable for marine and aviation applications.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2015). What are electric cars. https://www.ucs.org/resources/what-are-electric-cars

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. What are electric cars. 2015. https://www.ucs.org/resources/what-are-electric-cars.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=What are electric cars |date=25 February 2015 |url=https://www.ucs.org/resources/what-are-electric-cars |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2015what, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{What are electric cars}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2015}, month = feb, url = {https://www.ucs.org/resources/what-are-electric-cars}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }