(By Sangharsh Kale, R&D Incentives Associate, SCPL)
Electric cars are powered by an electric motor rather than a traditional diesel or petrol motor. The electric motor itself is powered by rechargeable batteries which can be charged just like our mobile phones.
Electric vehicle(EVs) are fast, fun & efficient, and maintaining them is far simpler than a traditional motor vehicle as there is no internal combustion engine.
We are going to focus mainly on two types of EVs:
- All Electric Vehicles (AEVs) &
- Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs).
All Electric Vehicles (AEVs) are powered by a large traction battery pack which itself is charged by an electric wall outlet. Since it runs on electricity, the vehicle emits no exhaust, thus reducing the carbon footprint. Regenerative braking is used for all-electric cars, which recharges the battery for restoring some of the energy, normally lost when the brake is applied by a driver. This can make the car charge last longer, thus more sustainable.
Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) combine an electric motor and a large rechargeable battery with a petrol or diesel engine. PHEVs can be plugged-in and recharged from an outlet, unlike traditional hybrids, enabling them to travel extended distances using only electricity. The conventional engine switches on when the battery is emptied, and the car acts as a conventional, non-plug-in hybrid.
The availability & widespread usage of these cars are in the not-so-distant future. Governments all around the world are offering incentives to Research & Development efforts of EV manufacturing units, as well as the people purchasing such vehicles. In India, the government has already implemented schemes to promote manufacturing of EVs & yes, we are as excited as you are to get our hands on these vehicles!