Electric car

An electric car runs on power.

It uses a big battery to move. You plug it into a wall to charge.

These cars are very quiet. They do not make dirty smoke. This helps keep our air clean.

They use less energy than gas cars. They also do not get as hot. This means they need less cooling.

You can charge them at home. You can also find plugs in public. Some people even swap old batteries for new ones.

Many people buy these cars now. They are becoming very popular.

Do you like quiet cars?

An electric car uses power from a battery to move.

Most people mean a battery electric vehicle, or BEV. These cars use only energy from a battery pack. You can charge them by plugging them into a power supply. You can do this at home or at a charging station. Some new ways to charge include battery swapping. This is where you trade a used battery for a full one.

Electric cars are different from gas cars. They are much quieter. They also do not have exhaust emissions. This means they do not let out dirty smoke. This helps keep our air cleaner. These cars are also very efficient. They turn more power into movement. They also make less waste heat. Because of this, they do not need large cooling systems.

Many people are buying them now. In 2023, 14 million plug-in cars were sold. This was 18% of all new car sales. The Tesla Model Y was the best-selling car in the world in 2023.

Owning one can save money. You spend less on fuel and repairs. This is because they have fewer moving parts. Most batteries last a very long time.

An electric car, or electric vehicle (EV), is a way to travel using electricity. Most people use this term for a battery electric vehicle (BEV). These cars use energy stored in on-board battery packs to move the wheels.

Some other types exist, like plug-in hybrids (PHEV) or fuel cell vehicles (FCEV). These use different ways to create electric power. Electric cars are very quiet and respond quickly when you drive. They also have no exhaust emissions, which helps keep the air clean.

Because they are efficient, they make less waste heat than gas cars. This means they do not need large or complicated cooling systems.

To keep an electric car moving, you must recharge the battery. This is done by plugging the car into a power supply. You can charge at home, in parking garages, or at public charging stations. Scientists are even working on new ways to charge, like inductive charging. This uses special technology to charge without a plug. Another idea is battery swapping, where you trade a low battery for a full one.

Some drivers worry about how far they can go before needing a charge. This feeling is often called range anxiety. However, more fast chargers are being built to help solve this.

Electric cars have a very long history. Robert Anderson is often credited with inventing the first one between 1832 and 1839. Many inventors made progress in the 1880s. Gustave Trouvé showed an electric car in Paris in 1881. In 1884, Thomas Parker built a car in England using special rechargeable batteries. By 1897, electric cars were even used as taxis in Britain and the United States. They were very popular until gas cars became easier to use. A big change happened in 1912 when electric starters made gas cars easier to start. This caused electric cars to lose their popularity for a long time.

Today, electric cars are making a huge comeback. In 2023, 14 million plug-in cars were sold worldwide. This was 18% of all new car sales.

China has the largest number of electric vehicles in the world. By December 2024, China had sold 22.09 million units. In the United States, California leads in sales. The Tesla Model Y became the best-selling car in the world in 2023.

The Tesla Model 3 was also very successful, passing 1 million sales in 2021.

Owning an electric car can change how you spend money. The battery is the most expensive part of the car. However, battery prices have dropped a lot since 2010.

You can save money on fuel because electricity is often cheaper than petrol. You also save about 50% on maintenance and repairs. This is because electric motors have fewer moving parts than gas engines. Most batteries are designed to last a very long time. Many warranties cover the battery for 8 years or 100,000 miles. This helps make owning an EV a smart choice for many families.

{ "text": "An electric vehicle (EV) is an automobile that uses electrical energy as its primary source of propulsion. While the term often describes battery electric vehicles (BEVs), it is a broad category. BEVs rely solely on energy stored in on-board battery packs to move. Other types include plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), which use both electricity and fuel. There are also range-extended electric vehicles (REEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). FCEVs are unique because they convert electric power from other fuels via a fuel cell or generator.

\n\nThe way an electric car works is different from a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. In an ICE vehicle, much of the energy is lost as waste heat. Electric motors are much more efficient and generate less waste heat. This efficiency reduces the need for the large, complicated cooling systems found in gas cars. Most EVs use a battery pack to store electricity. This electricity powers a motor that turns the wheels. To maximize cruising range, drivers must plug the vehicle into a mains electricity power supply.

\n\nRecharging can happen in many different ways and locations. Drivers can use charging stations in private homes, parking garages, or public areas.

Scientists are also developing new methods like inductive charging, which allows for wireless power transfer. Another method is battery swapping, where a depleted battery is replaced with a full one.

However, the charging infrastructure is still growing. This has led to \"range anxiety,\" where drivers worry about running out of power. This psychological obstacle can influence whether people decide to buy an electric car.\n\nElectric cars have a long and surprising history. Robert Anderson is credited with inventing the first electric car between 1832 and 1839. During the 1880s, many inventors added to this progress. In 1881, Gustave Trouvé presented an electric car in Paris. In 1884, Thomas Parker built a car in England using his own high-capacity rechargeable batteries. By 1897, electric cars were even used as taxis in Britain and the United States. In 1899, a rocket-shaped car called La Jamais Contente set a land speed record. Electric cars eventually lost popularity because ICE vehicles became easier to refuel and cheaper to produce. A major turning point was the 1912 introduction of the electric starter motor for gas engines.\n\nToday, we are seeing a massive global shift toward electrification. In 2023, 14 million plug-in electric cars were sold worldwide. This represented 18% of all new car sales, an increase from 14% in 2022. Experts expect EVs to account for over one-fifth of global car sales in 2024. China currently holds the largest stock of electric vehicles. By December 2024, China had reached 22.09 million cumulative sales.

In the United States, California leads the nation in purchases. Many countries are also passing laws to phase out fossil fuel cars to fight climate change.\n\nEconomics play a major role in the rise of the EV. While the battery is the most expensive part of the car, prices are falling. Battery prices dropped from \$1,276 per kWh in 2010 to \$137 per kWh in 2019.

Owners often save about 50% on maintenance and repair costs. This is because electric motors have a simpler mechanical structure with fewer moving parts. Electricity is also generally cheaper than petrol for traveling a set distance. While battery replacement can cost between \$5,000 and \$16,000, most batteries are very durable. Many manufacturers provide warranties for 8 years or 100,000 miles.\n\nElectric vehicles offer several environmental and performance advantages. They produce no exhaust emissions, which helps reduce air pollution. They are also quieter and more responsive than traditional cars. Because they use regenerative braking, drivers often experience less brake wear. However, like all cars, they still emit particulates from their tires. The shift toward EVs is a key part of global efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and improve air quality in cities. As technology improves, the gap between electric and gas vehicles continues to close.", "media": [ "File:Electric car diagram.svg", "File:Nissan Leaf battery pack DC 03 2011 1629.jpg", "File:Eletroposto6.jpg", "File:NIO Power Battery Swap (cropped).jpg", "File:BEVsSales-2010-2023ByCountry.png", "File:Piles of Salt Salar de Uyuni Bolivia Luca Galuzzi 2006 a.jpg" ] }