Type of Electric Vehicle

  • Parallel Hybrid – This is the traditional hybrid car that uses the combination of combustion engine, gear box, clutch, fuel tank,  small electric motor and small battery. An example is Toyota Prius.
     
  • Plug-In Hybrid – Also called a “Series Hybrid”.  It is a dual mode car that leverages both traction battery and Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) to provide electricity to an electric motor to power the vehicle. At the same time, it has a separate electric motor and battery to provide the propulsion required. An example is Volt from GM where the electric battery can provide up to 40 miles of driving per charge, after which the ICE acts as a generator, rather than an engine, to further power the electric motor for an additional 40 miles of traveling distance.
     
  • All Electric – This only has an electric motor and battery to provide all the propulsion required by the vehicle. An example is the Nissan Leaf.