Electric vehicles are playing a very crucial role not only in combatting climate change but also in providing human beings with a sustainable mode of transportation. These vehicles have drastically decreased the reliance on fossil fuels that emit a huge amount of greenhouse emissions to destroy the planet’s environment. In comparison to typical ICE-powered versions, electric vehicles offer almost zero tailpipe emission while making the ownership much reduced. These vehicles are easier to maintain because they have fewer components than conventional automobiles.
This post talks about some of the major components of an electric car and answers frequently asked questions about their functions in an EV:
Battery (all-electric auxiliary)
In an electrically driven vehicle or a car, the auxiliary battery that retains power provides electric current to vehicle accessories.
Charge port
The charge port in an electric car allows it to establish a connection with an external power supply to power up the traction battery pack.
DC/DC converter
A DC/DC Converter is a device that converts higher-voltage DC power to the lower-voltage DC power required to power up the accessories of the car while also recharging the auxiliary battery.
Electric Traction Motor
Making use of the power provided by the traction battery pack, an electric motor drives the wheels of the car. Some vehicles also make use of motor generators which carry out both functions that include drive and regeneration functions.
Onboard Charger
An onboard charger handles the incoming AC electricity that’s supplied through the chart port and converts it to DC power aiming to recharge the traction battery pack. It also performs the role of monitoring the battery characteristics and communicating with the charging equipment while indicating the state of charge and charging the battery pack.
Power Electronics Controller
A power electronics controller unit is responsible for managing the electrical energy flow that the traction battery delivers. It also controls the speed of the traction motor as well as the torque that it produces.
Thermal system (cooling)
This system is responsible for maintaining an engine’s appropriate operating temperature range apart from the maintenance of power electronics, electric motors, as well as other components.
Traction battery pack
It stores electricity that the electric traction motor makes use of.
Transmission (electric)
The transmission performs the role of transferor of the mechanical power generated by the traction motor to drive the wheels.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Electric Vehicles (EVs)
Is there any fuel tank in an electric vehicle?
No, there is no fuel tank in a battery electric vehicle (BEV) because it completely relies on an electric motor that is powered by a rechargeable battery pack therein.
What components are considered high voltage in an electric vehicle?
Such components include the following:
- Battery Pack
- Motor
- Inverter, and
- Onboard Charger.
These components operate at a very high voltage level that ranges from 200 to 800 volts, which can prove to be a serious threat if not taken care of properly.
Which key component in an electric vehicle handles the incoming AC electricity that the charge port supplies and converts it to DC power to charge the traction battery?
The onboard charger is the key component in an electric vehicle that handles the incoming AC electricity that the charge port supplies and converts it to DC power to charge the traction battery. This crucial component also regulates the electricity flow to the battery pack, while making sure that it is charged quite safely as well as efficiently.
Is transmission necessary for electric motors?
The transmission is not considered to be necessary for electric motors. EVs make use of a direct transmission system, unlike the multi-speed transmissions that fossil fuels-driven vehicles have.
What is the primary role of the controller in electric cars or EVs?
The primary role of the controller in an electric vehicle is to monitor the amount of power sent to the electric motors from the inverter and the battery.
What does thermal-system cooling do in electric-powered vehicles?
The thermal-system cooling device makes sure that the power systems, engine, electric motor, and other allied parts of the electric vehicle run smoothly and perfectly within the ideal temperature zone.
What are some good examples of BEVs as of today?
Some good examples of BEVs include the following:
- Volkswagen e-Golf
- Tesla Model 3
- BMW i3
- Chevy Bolt
- Chevy Spark
- Nissan LEAF
- Ford Focus Electric
- Hyundai Ioniq
- Karma Revera
- Kia Soul
- Mitsubishi i-MiEV
- Tesla X, and
- Toyota Rav4, etc.
What are the major components of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs)?
Some major components of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) include the following:
- Electric motor
- Control module
- Battery Charger (if onboard model)
- Battery
- Fuel tank
- Engine, and
- Inverter.
What are some great examples of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs)?
Some great examples of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) include the following:
- Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid
- Chevy Volt
- Chrysler Pacifica
- Ford C-Max Energi
- Ford Fusion Energi
- Mercedes C350e
- Mercedes S550e
- Mercedes GLE550e
- Mini Cooper SE Countryman
- Audi A3 E-Tron
- BMW 330e
- BMW i8
- BMW X5 xdrive40e
- Fiat 500e
- Hyundai Sonata
- Kia Optima
- Porsche Panamera S E-hybrid
- Volvo XC90 T8.
What are Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs)?
Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) also called fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) or Zero Emission Vehicles are a kind of electric vehicles that make use of ‘fuel cell technology’ for the generation of electricity needed to power up the electric vehicles.
What are the main Components of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs)?
The Main Components of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) include the following:
- Hydrogen storage tank
- Battery with converter and controller
- Electric motor
- Fuel-cell stack.
What are some examples of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs)?
Some examples of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) include the following:
- Toyota Mirai
- Hyundai Tucson FCEV
- Riversimple Rasa
- Honda Clarity Fuel Cell, and
- Hyundai Nexo.
What are the types of electric cars?
There are 5 types of electric cars that include the following:
- Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)
- Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)
- Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV)
- Hybrid
- Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV).
What role do auxiliary batteries play in EVs?
Auxiliary batteries in the electrical vehicles are the main source of electrical energy that is used for the accessories installed and mounted in the electric vehicles.
What are the primary functions of electronic components of electric vehicles in circuits?
The functions of electronic components of electric vehicles in circuits include the following:
- Switch or size control
- Prevention and protection against failure or accident
- Circuit working status feedback and monitoring
- Signal amplification
- Signal transformation
- Voltage AC
- Conversion of physical quantities
- Display physical quantity
- Measurement of physical quantities.
How Do All-Electric Cars Work?
All-electric vehicles, also called battery electric vehicles (BEVs) come with an electric motor in place of an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE). The vehicles make use of a large traction battery pack for powering the electric current-driven motor. It needs to be plugged into a charging port known as electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). Since EVs run on electricity, they emit no greenhouse gases from a tailpipe. What’s more, EVs contain no typical liquid fuel components just like conventional or ICE-based vehicles such as fuel tanks, fuel pumps, fuel lines, etc.
What are the main components of an electric vehicle?
Some of the main components of an electric vehicle include the following:
- Traction battery pack
- Controller
- Auxiliary batteries
- DC-DC Converter
- Electric motor
- Onboard charger
- Thermal system (cooling)
- Transmission
- Power inverter
- Charge Port.
What are the major categories of automotive chips?
According to the function, the categories of automotive chips are divided into the following 3 categories:
First Category
- For computing power and processing
- AI chips for autonomous driving perception as well as fusion
- Traditional MCUs for engine/chassis/body control.
Second Category
- For power conversion
- IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor)
Third Category
- For sensor chips
- Installed in various radars for automatic driving
- Airbags, tire pressure detection, etc.
A more refined and sophisticated classification can be made into the following categories that include:
- High-performance computing chips (AI chips/GPU)
- Microcontrollers (MCU)
- Memory chips (DRAM/Flash)
- CMOS image sensor chips
- Display driver chips
Analog Chips include:
- Wireless communication power amplifiers
- Audio amplifiers
- Sensors, etc.
- Power Components
- Sensor chips (pressure, flow, inertia, humidity, infrared, etc.).
