How do an EV’s components compare
Electric vehicles generally have a cool, streamlined look. But as the old saying goes, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Owning and operating an EV is much easier than a counterpart fuel-based car.
For starters, there are over 2,000 moving parts in a gas engine, whereas an EV only has 18. Driving an EV is much easier when it comes to maintenance schedules.
The electric vehicle relies mostly on the motor as its main moving part, whereas the gasoline-powered vehicle has hundreds of moving parts. Fewer parts leads to less periodic maintenance.
The controller and charger are electronic with no moving parts, and require little or no maintenance. Also, lead acid batteries used in current electric vehicles are sealed and maintenance free.
The heartbeat of your EV is the battery, and although it’s a complex part, it is mostly automated; leaving less maintenance checks. The batteries in electric-drive vehicles are generally designed to last for the expected lifetime of the vehicle. Although a battery may wear out over time, most manufacturers are offering 8-year/100,000-mile warranties for their batteries.
Time is also on your side when it comes to owning an EV. In a gasoline-powered automobile, a driver will need to get their car serviced every 6 months or 5,000 miles. An EV gives drivers the freedom to spread out car service to every two years for parts like brake fluid health, cabin air filter replacement, tire rotation, and brake service.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s inside an electric vehicle.
Key Components of an All-Electric Car
Battery (all-electric auxiliary): In an electric drive vehicle, the auxiliary battery provides electricity to power vehicle accessories.
Charge port: The charge port allows the vehicle to connect to an external power supply in order to charge the traction battery pack.
DC/DC converter: This device converts higher-voltage DC power from the traction battery pack to the lower-voltage DC power needed to run vehicle accessories and recharge the auxiliary battery.
Electric traction motor: Using power from the traction battery pack, this motor drives the vehicle’s wheels. Some vehicles use motor generators that perform both the drive and regeneration functions.
Power electronics controller: This unit manages the flow of electrical energy delivered by the traction battery, controlling the speed of the electric traction motor and the torque it produces.
Traction battery pack: Stores electricity for use by the electric traction motor.
Onboard charger: Takes the incoming AC electricity supplied via the charge port and converts it to DC power for charging the traction battery. It monitors battery characteristics such as voltage, current, temperature, and state of charge while charging the pack.
Thermal system (cooling): This system maintains a proper operating temperature range of the engine, electric motor, power electronics, and other components.
Transmission (electric): The transmission transfers mechanical power from the electric traction motor to drive the wheels.