Electric Vehicle Basics
We can help you get started understanding electric vehicle terms, charging and manufacturers.
Terms
Electric vehicles (EVs) – This term is used to describe all vehicles that use electric motors, including plug-in hybrids, range extended and battery electric vehicles. There are electric vehicles that do not use gasoline and are not plug-in hybrids. They are pure battery electric vehicles.
Plug-in electric hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) – A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle has a battery and is able to plug in to the electrical grid to charge the batteries. Instead of a battery with a capacity of about 1 kilowatt-hour of power like a hybrid from the past, batteries in the latest generation of hybrid cars have a capacity of 9 to 10 kilowatt-hours of power. This will allow the owner to drive on electric power for up to 40 miles before the gas engine needs to operate.
Charging levels
There are three ways to charge electric vehicles:
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Uses a standard 120-volt outlet. The electrical draw is roughly equivalent to a 1500-watt personal hair dryer. Most plug-in electric vehicles will require 8 to 12 hours to fully charge. | Uses a 240-volt rated charging unit and will probably require modifications to a home's electrical panel. This will take 4 to 8 hours to charge. |
DC Quick Charge uses a 480-volt connection. It is the fastest charging method available and is used for commercial charging. This will take 30 to 45 minutes to charge. |
Level 1 or level 2 home charging may require the help of a licensed electrician. Level 3 public and commercial charging infrastructure will continue to evolve. In fact, we're working with partners to help make this happen and advance these technologies.
Vehicle manufacturers
- Arcimoto
- Brammo motorcycles
- BYD
- Chevrolet VoltTM
- Ford EscapeTM
- Mitsubishi
- Nissan LEAFTM
- Tesla Motors
- Toyota hybrids
