HEV, PHEV, EREV, EV... In France, many types of electric vehicles travel the roads. You see them every day, but do you know their specificities? A quick overview to understand what is behind these abbreviations.
EV, all-electric vehicles
Also called BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), these vehicles are 100% electric. They do not have a heat engine and therefore do not need fossil energy. They only work thanks to a electric motor, powered by a battery.
The battery is recharged at a dedicated charging point, via the electrical network. It is generally a public or private charging station. EVs have a significant advantage: they do not emit any greenhouse gases at the local level.
Depending on the model, the autonomy varies from 135 km to 730 km in WLTP cycle. These electric vehicles are more than enough for daily trips in urban areas.
HEV, non-rechargeable hybrid vehicles
HEVs (Hybrid Electric Vehicles) are “classic” hybrid vehicles
including an electric motor and a combustion engine. Contrary to
electric vehicles, they cannot be recharged at a point of
recharge and do not include an electrical outlet. The battery has a low
autonomy and can only be powered while driving, thanks to the “braking” device
regenerative”. Thanks to this technology, energy is recovered during
brakes, converted into electricity and then fed back into the battery.
The electric motor is used to start the vehicle and allows it to drive up to a maximum speed of 50 km/h. Beyond that, the combustion engine takes over. On a daily basis, these vehicles make it possible to reduce fuel consumption and to drive more eco-responsible in the city.
> To read also: How does the regenerative braking of your electric vehicle work?
PHEV, the plug-in hybrid vehicles
Like HEVs, PHEVs (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles) are hybrid vehicles with two engines: one electric, the other thermal. The only difference is that the battery has a larger capacity and can be recharged at an external charging point. It can also be powered while driving thanks to regenerative braking.
These vehicles have a range of 40 to 100 km and can drive at high speeds (up to 130 km/h) only thanks to the electric motor. It is thus possible to drive entirely electric and to cover daily urban trips, estimated between 20 and 30 km per day on average for a French person. The combustion engine takes over when the power of the electric battery is insufficient, especially during long trips or on expressways.
For motorists driving mainly on urban and peri-urban roads, PHEVs are particularly interesting vehicles. They also make it possible to limit CO2 emissions.
> To read also: PHEV and hybrid cars: how it works
EREV, vehicles with extended autonomy
Sometimes classified as plug-in hybrid vehicles, EREVs (Extended Range Electric Vehicles) are actually electric vehicles with range extenders. Unlike PHEVs, the combustion engine does not allow the vehicle to be propelled: it is only used to generate electricity to recharge a drum high capacity.
The use of an EREV significantly reduces fuel consumption. For a journey of 100 km, it is possible to consume less than 2 liters of fuel while enjoying a nice range of autonomy.
However, few electric cars are equipped with this technology. Despite better performance, they require the installation of a large battery and a gasoline engine. Result: the vehicle is heavy, and above all expensive. This is particularly the case with the BMW i3, whose production was stopped after 250,000 copies.
Sources: quebec, Electric roller, vauxhall, Ornikar, Clean car.
