How an electric car works: the basics

You do not need to be technical to understand an electric car. This guide covers the basics in plain words, so the other guides make sense.

What is inside

An electric car has four main parts: a battery that stores energy, one or more electric motors that turn the wheels, electronics that control the power, and a charging system. Most have a single-speed transmission instead of a multi-gear gearbox, which is part of why they drive so smoothly.

How it feels to drive

• Quiet: there is no engine noise, only some road and wind noise.
• Quick to respond: electric motors deliver power as soon as you press the pedal.
• Regenerative braking: when you lift off the pedal, the car can slow down and put a little energy back into the battery. Many cars let you choose how strong this is.

Refuelling means charging

Instead of a fuel station, you plug the car in. There are three common ways:

• At home or at work: slow, but the car is ready in the morning.
• Public AC chargers: useful while you shop, work or park for a few hours.
• DC fast chargers: much faster, mainly used on longer trips.

The next guides explain these in more detail.

What changes day to day

If you can charge where you park, you start most days with a full battery and rarely visit a charger at all. On longer trips you plan charging stops, much as you once planned fuel stops, but a little more ahead of time.

Things that surprise first-time owners

• Real range changes with speed, temperature and how the car is used.
• Charging speed is not constant. It depends on the charger, the car and the battery level.
• Not every charger fits every car. The plug on your car matters.

What to think about when choosing

• How far you really drive on a normal day, and how often you take long trips.
• Whether you can charge at home or at work.
• What the warranty says, and who services the car in Georgia.