electric vehicle

electric vehicle

(Electric Vehicle) An automobile that is powered entirely or partially by electricity. Although electric vehicles (EVs) were invented in the late 1800s, and GM experimented with them in the late 1990s, in 2009, the California-based Tesla Roadster was the first EV offered to the public in the U.S. in the 21st century. Of course, without the huge advances in computer technology over the preceding 40 years, the electric vehicle would have been impossible to build.

The Tesla Roadster

Featuring zero emissions and great handling, the Tesla is a high-performance electric vehicle with a 300-mile range. With a top speed of 125 mph, it can reach 60 mph in less than four seconds. (Image courtesy of Tesla Motors, www.teslamotors.com)

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electric vehicle [i¦lek·trik ′vē·ə·kəl]

(mechanical engineering)

A ground vehicle propelled by a motor powered by electrical energy from rechargeable batteries or other source onboard the vehicle, or from an external source in, on, or above the roadway; examples include the electrically powered golf cart, automobile, and trolley bus.

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Electric vehicle

A ground vehicle propelled by a motor that is powered by electrical energy from rechargeable batteries or other source onboard the vehicle, or from an external source in, on, or above the roadway. Examples are the golf cart, industrial truck and tractor, automobile, delivery van and other on-highway truck, and trolley bus. In common usage, electric vehicle refers to an automotive vehicle in which the propulsion system converts electrical energy stored chemically in a battery into mechanical energy to move the vehicle. This is classed as a battery-only-powered electric vehicle. The batteries provide the power to propel the vehicle, and to power the lights and all accessories such as air conditioning and radio. The other major class is the hybrid-electric vehicle, which has more than one power source such as battery power with a small internal combustion engine or a fuel cell. See Automobile