Electric car

An electric car or electric vehicle (EV) is a <a href="/facts/Passenger_car/WJh2qPoy">passenger automobile</a> that is propelled by an <a href="/facts/Electric_motor/ArD7BGDa">electric</a> <a href="/facts/Traction_motor/5xAX9sdk">traction motor</a>, using <a href="/facts/Electrical_energy/V0pJUrDY">electrical energy</a> as the primary source of <a href="/facts/Propulsion/xTuW8Fw2">propulsion</a>. The term normally refers to a <a href="/facts/Plug-in_electric_vehicle/7e0gKmgX">plug-in electric vehicle</a>, typically a <a href="/facts/Battery_electric_vehicle/vz6w8xyS">battery electric vehicle</a> (BEV), which only uses energy stored in <a href="/facts/Electric_vehicle_battery/txjgvF76">on-board battery packs</a>, but broadly may also include <a href="/facts/Plug-in_hybrid_electric_vehicle/1jjATp8l">plug-in hybrid electric vehicle</a> (PHEV), <a href="/facts/Range_extender/zlPLbyQt">range-extended</a> electric vehicle (REEV) and <a href="/facts/Fuel_cell_electric_vehicle/MIuXXyuN">fuel cell electric vehicle</a> (FCEV), which can convert electric power from other <a href="/facts/Fuel/H8DIRL1j">fuels</a> via a <a href="/facts/Electric_generator/5sATsUGX">generator</a> or a <a href="/facts/Fuel_cell/UcMYnCW3">fuel cell</a>.
Compared to conventional <a href="/facts/Internal_combustion_engine/Ju4BXzj0">internal combustion engine</a> (ICE) vehicles, electric cars are quieter, more responsive, have superior <a href="/facts/Energy_conversion_efficiency/gSqXlWoI">energy conversion efficiency</a> and no <a href="/facts/Exhaust_gas/kLpq1eUX">exhaust emissions</a>, as well as a typically lower overall <a href="/facts/Carbon_footprint/gRb1RaQl">carbon footprint</a> from manufacturing to end of life (even when a <a href="/facts/Power_plant/vYeVY1fD">power plant</a> supplying the electricity might add to its emissions). Due to the superior efficiency of electric motors, electric cars also generate less <a href="/facts/Waste_heat/nGBH1Vc8">waste heat</a>, thus reducing the need for <a href="/facts/Internal_combustion_engine_cooling/8STHGg2L">engine cooling systems</a> that are often large, complicated and maintenance-prone in ICE vehicles.
The <a href="/facts/Electric_vehicle_battery/txjgvF76">electric vehicle battery</a> typically needs to be plugged into a <a href="/facts/Mains_electricity/rjE90Hg0">mains electricity</a> <a href="/facts/Power_supply/4A8zBRHn">power supply</a> for <a href="/facts/Battery_charger/JfygTRaJ">recharging</a> in order to maximize the <a href="/facts/All-electric_range/zcqnjuw5">cruising range</a>. Recharging an electric car can be done at different kinds of <a href="/facts/Charging_station/bHd9YaDH">charging stations</a>; these charging stations can be installed in <a href="/facts/Private_home/c3Hlc0Ip">private homes</a>, <a href="/facts/Parking_garage/tQ2ljXQm">parking garages</a> and <a href="/facts/Public_area/fnGxfVCI">public areas</a>. There is also <a href="/facts/Research_and_development/2h5UddUu">research and development</a> in, as well as deployment of, other technologies such as <a href="/facts/Battery_swapping/bHd9YaDH">battery swapping</a> and <a href="/facts/Inductive_charging/A57T1MMJ">inductive charging</a>. As the <a href="/facts/Electric_vehicle_charging_network/I14Gahkq">recharging infrastructure</a> (especially <a href="/facts/Fast_charger/JfygTRaJ">fast chargers</a>) is still in its infancy, <a href="/facts/Range_anxiety/je5C9u7g">range anxiety</a> and <a href="/facts/Time_management/g2kdl0C8">time cost</a> are frequent psychological obstacles during <a href="/facts/Buyer_decision_process/AGCFd7ag">consumer purchasing decisions</a> against electric cars.
Worldwide, 14 million <a href="/facts/Plug-in_electric_car/7e0gKmgX">plug-in electric cars</a> were sold in 2023, 18% of new car sales, up from 14% in 2022. Many countries have established <a href="/facts/Government_incentives_for_plug-in_electric_vehicles/esstNExP">government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles</a>, tax credits, subsidies, and other non-monetary incentives while several countries have legislated to <a href="/facts/Phase-out_of_fossil_fuel_vehicles/lg5tkJDe">phase-out sales of fossil fuel cars</a>, to reduce <a href="/facts/Air_pollution/zmk9Dy7S">air pollution</a> and <a href="/facts/Climate_change_mitigation/GgkoeWMk">limit climate change</a>. EVs are expected to account for over one-fifth of global car sales in 2024.
<a href="/facts/China/lTjIXY5p">China</a> currently has the <a href="/facts/Plug-in_electric_vehicles_in_China/TbQ7yM3A">largest stock of electric vehicles in the world</a>, with cumulative sales of 5.5 million units through December 2020,[needs update] although these figures also include heavy-duty <a href="/facts/Commercial_vehicle/VoUW0CIH">commercial vehicles</a> such as <a href="/facts/Bus/CuEPrMhW">buses</a>, <a href="/facts/Garbage_truck/jdh6R5hT">garbage trucks</a> and <a href="/facts/Street_sweeper/NEboqFED">sanitation vehicles</a>, and only accounts for vehicles manufactured in China. In the <a href="/facts/United_States/P0sCdLe5">United States</a> and the <a href="/facts/European_Union/6GYcR8qM">European Union</a>, as of 2020, the total cost of ownership of recent electric vehicles is cheaper than that of equivalent ICE cars, due to lower fueling and maintenance costs.
In 2023, the <a href="/facts/Tesla_Model_Y/SLBfQsTz">Tesla Model Y</a> became the world's best selling car. The <a href="/facts/Tesla_Model_3/cLFeRCvX">Tesla Model 3</a> became the world's all-time best-selling electric car in early 2020, and in June 2021 became the first electric car to pass 1 million global sales. Together with other emerging automotive technologies such as autonomous driving, connected vehicles and shared mobility, electric cars form a future mobility vision called Autonomous, Connected, Electric and Shared (ACES) Mobility.

Electric car open-in-new

Electric car