While walking or driving vehicle on the road, you might have seen EV mark or EV log on some cars, so what is EV in cars? Why are some cars labeled EV on the side or back door? Let’s uncover this question, and find out the real meaning of EV in cars that running on road with EV logo.
Ev stands for electric vehicle which means the vehicle is running on electric energy instead of liquid fuel like Petrol, Diesel or Gas like CNG, LPG. Among them one is a car which nowadays using electric energy as fuel, and hence in common language it is called EV cars or EV in cars.
So when you see the EV mark on a car, it means that the car is electric and it runs on electrical energy taken from the battery instead of petrol or gas.
Further, if we go in depth and look for the type of EV in cars then you may find 4 types of EV Cars in India. We have listed all types of EV below:
- BEV which is known as a battery electric vehicle, will run only on electric only.
- HEV means hybrid electric vehicle, will run on a fuel engine + electric energy ( battery charge via engine via internal source)
- PHEV known as plug in hybrid electric vehicle, will run on a fuel engine + electric energy ( battery charge via external source)
- FCEV means fuel cell EV (similar to HEV), but here hydrogen will be used and by chemical reaction electricity will be produced.
The detail explanation of each and every type of EV with images that we can see in India is given below. So if you would like to know about all EV and respective technology then must read it now.
BEV Cars

BEV cars refer to electric vehicles that run solely on electric energy. This energy is taken from batteries, which manufacturers place in the floor of the vehicle between the axles or typically under the seats. When the batteries are discharged, they can be charged either with a 3.3 kW or 7 kW charger at home or at charging stations.
Overall, BEV cars are entirely dependent on batteries. Once discharged, they can be recharged using a car charger at home or at charging stations.
Most popular cars that you can find in this category in India are Tata Tiago, Tata Tigor, Tata Nexon, MG Comet, MG ZS, Hyundai Kona, Mahindra Verito.
HEV cars

HEV cars are hybrid electric vehicles which are equipped with both a combustion engine, mainly a petrol engine, and a battery pack. So when you drive an HEV car, the engine generates power to propel the car. Meanwhile, the car’s engine also charges the batteries, which are later used to drive the car.
Therefore, with a hybrid you get better fuel economy than a petrol or diesel vehicle.
Note: In an HEV car, you can’t charge the car’s batteries from an external source. Only the car’s engine powers up the batteries, which is an internal source. Hence, these HEV cars are not fully electric but considered hybrid!
PHEV Cars

PHEV cars are plug-in hybrid electric vehicles which can run on two fuels, either petrol and electricity or CNG and electricity. In short, the vehicle uses both an internal combustion engine (usually petrol) and an electric motor powered by a battery pack.
These types of EVs are not fully dependent on batteries. You can run these plug-in hybrid EVs on petrol, and once the petrol runs out, you can shift the car into electric drive mode to continue driving.
Unlike HEV cars which can’t be charged from external sources, PHEV cars can easily be charged at home or at charging stations using an external power source in just a few hours.
In case the fuel tank is empty, the PHEV car also provides the option to refill the tank at nearby petrol pumps.
PHEV cars are a better option over BEVs and HEV since a PHEV offers more range, which helps complete longer distances without refueling. Experts also suggest PHEV cars are a better option until the government implements a more robust infrastructure for fully battery-operated EV cars.
FCEV Cars

FCEVs (fuel cell electric vehicles) are a new but not yet popular type of EV in India. The base of this car is similar to HEV cars. But instead of a petrol tank, a hydrogen tank is used. This hydrogen reacts with chemicals and generates electricity which charges a pack of batteries placed in the floor.
So with FCEVs, manufacturers use ‘fuel cell technology’ to generate electricity to power the vehicle. The chemical energy of the hydrogen fuel is converted directly into electric energy.
As compared to HEV and PHEV, the FCEV is more environmental friendly as when hydrogen burns the waste is just water which doesn’t harm our environment. Some examples of FCEV cars are Toyota Mirai, Riversimple Rasa, Hyundai Tucson FCEV, Honda Clarity Fuel Cell, Hyundai Nexo.
Now, based on your budget and infrastructure in your city or area, you can choose any one ev car. Just to give an idea, the upfront cost of BEV and FCEV cars are higher while the PHEV and HEV are the affordable options as they have smaller batteries and relay on fuel like petrol or CNG.
So guys, I hope now you got an idea what is ev in cars? Please let us know in the comments and don’t forget to share the ev in cars and their types with others.
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