Battery-Electric Vehicles

A battery-electric vehicle (BEV) uses electricity stored in its battery pack to power an electric motor that turns its wheels. The battery pack is often recharged by connecting or “plugging” it into a wall socket or other electrical source, such as a solar panel. 

Because a BEV uses electricity as a fuel, there are no emissions out of its tailpipe. In fact, it does not even have a tailpipe! Furthermore, it costs pennies, rather than dollars at the gas pump, to recharge a BEV. The development of BEVs has made a significant contribution to battery research and to the advancement of electric motors and power electronics used in both hybrid electric and fuel cell vehicles. Yet, the widespread use of BEVs depends on advances in battery technology.

Benefits and Limitations

  • Pollution. Battery-electric vehicles do not produce any tailpipe emissions. However, many BEVs recharge using electricity generated at power plants that emit global-warming and smog-forming pollutants. When BEVs are recharged using renewable energy sources like wind, solar, or hydropower, they do not cause any air pollution at all. Notably, even if BEVs are recharged with electricity from power plants that use fossil fuels, they are up to 99 percent cleaner than conventional vehicles and can cut global warming emissions by as much as 70 percent. 
  • Cost. Battery-electric vehicles cost significantly more than gasoline vehicles, mostly because their advanced battery packs are expensive to produce—especially in small volumes. Higher purchase prices are partially offset by BEV’s lower fuel costs, which are over one-third the cost of refueling a gasoline-powered vehicle. 
  • Performance and Range. To the driver, a battery-electric vehicle offers a quiet, smooth, and high-performance driving experience. BEVs have range limitations of 50-100 miles per charge depending on battery type and driving conditions. Yet, given that most drivers travel less than 50 miles most days, BEVs could satisfy many driving needs.

How can I get one?

The development of battery-electric vehicles can be partly attributed to California’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) regulations which required auto companies to produce a certain percentage of zero emission vehicles (e.g., battery electric and fuel cell vehicles) for sale in California. To meet these laws, in the 1990s, many automakers produced BEVs ranging from sporty two-seaters to minivans, SUVs, and pickup trucks including the GM EV1, Ford Electric Ranger, Nissan Altra, and Toyota EV RAV-4, which is still on the road today.

The future of battery-electric vehicles is somewhat cloudy. Many of the major automakers have shifted focus away from BEVs and toward hybrid electric vehicles—including plugins—and fuel cell vehicles. For widespread acceptance, additional research is needed to improve the performance, durability, and cost of advanced batteries, such as lithium-ion. For the near future, BEVs will remain in a "niche" market comprised of smaller automotive companies producing BEVs or converting gasoline vehicles into electrics. Additionally, smaller Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) are being used today for limited or off-road use in airports, college campuses, retirement communities, and other areas.