Electric cars run at least partially on electricity. Unlike conventional vehicles that are only powered by gasoline or diesel, electric cars and trucks use an electric motor powered by electricity from batteries or a fuel cell.
In most cases this electricity is stored in a battery that is recharged from the grid, though in some cases a fuel cell is used to generate electricity from hydrogen. The key feature of an EV is that emission-free electric motors powered by clean and renewable energy sources can be used instead of burning gasoline or diesel in an engine.
Not all electric vehicles (or “EVs”) work the same way. “Plug-in hybrids” offer both a combustion engine and an electric motor: the motor is powered by a battery that can be recharged by plugging in while the conventional engine requires gasoline or diesel. Other EVs operate exclusively on electricity (“battery electric” vehicles). Still others power an electric motor by converting hydrogen gas into electricity “hydrogen fuel< cell vehicles”. Because fuel cell vehicles are currently only available in the US in limited numbers, the term “EV” is usually understood to refer to plug-in electric vehicles.
Conventional hybrid vehicles also have an electric motor, but aren’t considered EVs as they can’t be plugged-in. These hybrids recharge the battery by capturing energy during braking that would otherwise be lost, improving the vehicle’s efficiency. However, since all the energy for driving ultimately comes from burning gasoline or diesel, conventional hybrids don’t enable a switch from petroleum to clean, renewable energy sources.