There are currently two basic categories of EVs: all-electric vehicles (“AQV”) and plug in hybrid electric vehicles (“PHEVs”). AQVs include electric vehicle battery powered models, such as the Nissan Leaf. They can run on any type of fossil fuel, but PHEVs run on gasoline or other non-petrol-based fuels. The main difference between a PHEV and an AEV is that the battery pack is not replaceable and must be stored for recharging. A PHEV will still require a regular tune up as needed, as well as the standard maintenance for an AEV.

Nissan’s new battery driven Leaf is currently the largest selling EV in the United States. One of the features of the Leaf is the so called” Nissan All-Star” package which contains Nissan’s newest battery, which offers a driving range of more than 600 miles. The all-star package also features a new powertrain system that offers quicker acceleration, better high speed performance and more energy efficient engine operation. In addition to all these features, the all-star package also includes several cosmetic upgrades including a new front grille, a reworked rear bumper, front and rear bumpers, fog lights, front and rear bumpers, and front and rear spoilers.

The second most popular electric vehicle in the US is the plug in hybrid. Plug in hybrids (PITs) are comparable to most other small electric vehicles, such as the Honda Civic, in fuel economy, although some claim they are more fuel efficient. What makes a hybrid vehicle with a hybrid is the batteries and fuel cell installed within the vehicle. Some plug in hybrids use the standard battery and gasoline engine to power the air conditioning, heater, and other utilities while others use a separate batteries bank for power. This separation allows the owner to “preventative upkeep” by leaving the batteries in their banks overnight and so on.

There is another variation of electric cars and it is called diesel-electric cars. A diesel vehicle is the opposite of the plug in hybrid. A diesel vehicle uses gasoline or its alternative fuel to power the motor; therefore, the owner must either buy a diesel vehicle or plug in hybrids. Diesel vehicles offer better mileage, although they are much more expensive to purchase and run than the alternative fuel vehicles.

The third variety is the gasoline powered vehicle. For the most part, these are electric vehicles with one main drawback. They are much heavier and take more fuel to move than the alternative fuel vehicles because of the heavier engines. This heavier weight requires larger engines and a longer distance to travel.

How about the battery manufacture and lifecycle emissions? Electric vehicles do not require large amounts of batteries in order to store the electricity produced by the motor. In most cases, the electricity produced needs to be stored within the battery for long term use and then released as needed. As far as the battery manufacture goes, there is little to complain about. Lithium-ion batteries, used in both the gasoline and diesel vehicles, are quite clean burning and have very low lifecycle emissions.

The biggest complaint against electric vehicles is the noise that the internal combustion engine creates. It can be very annoying at times and definitely annoying when traveling at night or in severe weather. Luckily, technology has been developed to reduce this noise. Currently, most electric vehicles come with a small diesel engine that is less noisy. Also, the battery has been improved in recent years to help keep the battery cooler so that the engine does not get hot while the battery is being charged.

All in all, electric vehicles still need to make some improvements in their efficiency and in their overall performance and capabilities. Although they have come a long way in recent years, they are far from perfect. Current models of plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles still only make up a small percentage of the total worldwide oil sales. More research and development is still needed to fully adopt electric vehicles as a viable source of transportation. However, we are still very much behind the gas guzzler fleets that we see around us every day. Although future electric vehicles may be more efficient and feature excellent technology, they will never be able to catch up to the gas guzzlers on price.