What are the Types of Electric Vehicles?
What is an electric vehicle? Electric vehicles are vehicles powered by electricity, offered as an alternative to gasoline or diesel engine vehicles. Unlike traditional vehicles, these vehicles use an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine and provide motion energy from electricity stored in batteries.
Electric Vehicle Types:
Electric vehicles are divided into different types according to their operating principles and energy sources.
Hybrid Vehicle Types:
What is a hybrid electric vehicle? It is a vehicle that has electric motors along with internal combustion engines. These vehicles can run on fuel oil and electrical energy. The different types of hybrid vehicles are:
Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV)
What is a battery-powered (BEV) electric vehicle? They are vehicles that run entirely on electrical energy. These vehicles do not have internal combustion engines and move only with the electrical energy they receive from the battery. BEVs usually have batteries that can be charged at home or at public charging stations.
BEVs offer a zero-emission driving experience compared to traditional internal combustion vehicles and stand out as an environmentally friendly transportation alternative. They also provide a more comfortable driving experience by offering a quiet and vibration-free interior.
These vehicles are equipped with long range and fast charging features, making them more suitable for long-distance travel. Disadvantages of BEVs include high initial costs, limited charging infrastructure, and long charging times. However, with the advancement of technology, these disadvantages are gradually decreasing and the popularity of BEVs is increasing.
Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV)
What is a hybrid (HEV) electric vehicle? These are vehicles that have electric motors along with internal combustion engines. These vehicles operate using fuel oil and electrical energy. Hybrid vehicles are designed to achieve fuel economy and reduce emissions by optimizing their internal combustion engines and electric motors.
HEVs often use regenerative braking systems to recover energy during braking. This energy is stored in the vehicle's battery and can be used later by the electric motor. This feature helps reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
Hybrid electric vehicles stand out as an environmentally friendly transportation alternative and offer drivers the opportunity to save costs by providing fuel economy. At the same time, they offer longer ranges and a wider usage area with their internal combustion engines. With these features, HEVs can be an option to suit a variety of driving needs and preferences.
Nowadays, while environmental awareness and energy efficiency are increasing, the automobile industry is also keeping up with this trend. Hybrid vehicles are vehicles that have electric motors along with internal combustion engines and thus offer an environmentally friendly driving experience by reducing fuel consumption. Hybrid technology acts as a bridge between traditional internal combustion engines and fully electric vehicles. These vehicles offer drivers a more diverse driving experience by increasing performance and range while reducing fuel consumption.
What is a Hybrid Electric Vehicle? What are the Types of Hybrid Vehicles?
Series Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid and Complex Hybrid Electric Vehicles and Their Definitions
Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV)
What is a Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) electric vehicle? They are vehicles that have both internal combustion engines and electric motors and batteries that can be charged with an external power source. These vehicles operate using fuel oil and electrical energy.
PHEVs can power the wheels through their internal combustion engine and electric motors. They can also charge their batteries by drawing electricity from an external power source (usually an outlet or charging station). In this way, they can save more fuel by disabling the internal combustion engine during short-distance drives that can only run on electricity.
PHEVs' batteries can be charged through alternators powered by the internal combustion engine or through a regenerative braking system. This allows the vehicle to recover energy and recharge its batteries during braking.
These vehicles offer drivers both the environmentally friendly and quiet driving experience of electric vehicles and the long range and fast charging advantages of internal combustion engine vehicles. With these features, PHEVs offer a flexible option suitable for various driving needs.
Series Hybrid Electric Vehicles (SHEV)
What is a Series Hybrid (SHEV) electric vehicle? These are vehicles that have electric motors along with internal combustion engines and provide power to the wheels through these motors. These vehicles have a structure in which the internal combustion engine is used only as a generator or alternator and does not directly drive the wheels.
In SHEVs, the internal combustion engine is used only to generate electricity, and this electricity is used to charge batteries or power the electric motor. The main source that provides power to the wheels is the electric motor. In this way, while the vehicle benefits from the high torque advantage at low speeds provided by the electric motor, the internal combustion engine can be used at high speeds and long distances.
SHEVs can drive at long ranges and high speeds thanks to their internal combustion engines. At the same time, they offer a quiet and environmentally friendly driving experience at low speeds thanks to their electric motors. With these features, SHEVs combine the advantages of internal combustion and electric vehicles and offer an option suitable for various driving needs.
Complex Hybrid Electric Vehicles (KHEV)
Complex hybrid electric vehicles are hybrid vehicles that operate by combining a number of different energy sources, such as internal combustion engines, electric motors, and often more energy storage options (for example, primary and secondary batteries). Such vehicles use a complex energy management system to increase energy efficiency, extend driving range and reduce environmental impact. Complex hybrid electric vehicles combine the advantages of both electric drive and the internal combustion engine, offering an environmentally friendly and energy efficient option.
Complex hybrid electric vehicles (KHEV), unlike other hybrid vehicles, are a system that can drive the vehicle from both the front and rear axles. This feature allows the vehicle to provide better traction and stability performance, as well as being a suitable option for any vehicle that requires four-wheel drive.
In traditional four-wheel drive systems, the connection between the front and rear axles is usually achieved using heavy mechanical systems. However, in complex hybrid systems, this connection is achieved through electrical cables. This allows the vehicle to be lighter and to create a more efficient structure by reducing the complexity of mechanical systems.
Complex hybrid electric vehicles may be an ideal option for vehicles with four-wheel drive systems. Since this system has electric motors on both axles of the vehicle, it ensures a powerful and balanced drive of both axles. As a result, better handling, traction and driving stability are achieved, while also providing a more efficient driving experience.
