How does an EV work? Have a look with us

Want to get under the bonnet, so to speak? Take a tour with us

Just how does an EV work, anyway? Whether you’re contemplating switching over to the EV club or just want to freshen up what you already know, let’s take a look at the five things that drive an EV. This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means – we’d always recommend checking manuals for specific makes and models – but as a broad overview, you’ll be feeling EV savvy in just a few moments. Take a look at what’s what.

1. The battery pack stores electricity

The home for the EVs battery, it’s normally stored in the floor of the vehicle in the engine. This is where the electricity that the car runs on is stored – in other words, the EV draws energy from here for propulsion. Cars with a larger battery pack can store more energy and therefore have a longer driving range.

2. The electric motor runs the show

While traditional combustion engines run on petrol or diesel, in an EV, the electric motor both powers the internal components of the car and turns the wheels. It converts stored energy into usable energy which fuels the car.

3. The charging port charges the EV

The charging port is the small opening on an EV where you insert a charging cable to charge. If you’ve driven a petrol or diesel car before, it’s often found in a similar place – on the chassis of the EV, towards the back. Your car manual will tell you which connector is compatible with your car – such as a type 2 or CHAdeMO cable.

4. The thermal management system keeps it cool

This incredibly nifty system keeps batteries and the motor running at the optimal temperature and prevents it from overheating. By regulating heat flows, a thermal management system will keep everything nice and cool. Plus, if you take an active interest in your EVs temperature you can contribute to its overall health too.

5. Regenerative braking helps create energy

This highly EV specific feature cleverly allows cars to regenerate energy on the road. By taking the kinetic energy caused by braking then converting some of it back into electrical energy, regen braking can increase the distance of the EVs driving range on a charge. This can be useful in start and stop driving.

If you’ve enjoyed learning a little about how EVs work, how about reading on? Discover how to charge for long summer holiday drives or explore specialist driving techniques for EVs. And don’t forget to download our free app to search for nearby chargers on your route – you can filter by preferred charging speed, too. For helpful EV charging, look for us.