How Electric Vehicles Work (For the Gas User)

You can throw this topic in with things like 5G, Bitcoin, and NFTs—the stuff you should probably know more about but don’t. Here’s how electric vehicles work for the uninitiated. I’ll start with the absolute basics and then jump to some of the details that might not get quite as much attention.

 

The Basic Concept

Assuming you’ve been in a moving vehicle, you’re probably familiar with the internal combustion engine—the one that burns refined crude oil (gasoline or diesel) and converts some of that energy to work, as in the kind that moves the vehicle. Such engines can be combined with hybrid electric powertrains to increase fuel economy or plug-in hybrid electrical systems to supplement the range of hybrid electric vehicles.

And then we get to what we’re talking about here: vehicles that ditch the internal combustion engine—and refined crude oil—completely. These vehicles use rechargeable batteries to power an electric motor that does the all-important job of providing motion.

As the risks of climate change have gained increasing attention, finding alternatives to burning fossil fuels—an activity that generates carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas—has become a point of emphasis, thus landing electric vehicles at the epicenter of what is sometimes termed a carbon-free future. In fact, numerous governmental entities across the world have issued a variety of goals and/or mandates meant to speed the transition to that future.

 

Some Details

These particulars are not meant in any way to put a damper on the aforementioned transition. They’re simply meant to highlight some challenges, thereby deepening your understanding of how electric vehicles (EVs) work beyond the basics.

The source of electricity

The rechargeable battery mentioned above obviously requires periodic charging. Some have pointed out the irony of obtaining the necessary electricity from fossil fuels such as coal, even suggesting that the net impact on the environment could actually be worse with EVs. Thankfully, a 2020 study in Nature Sustainability found that electrification leads to decreased carbon emissions in 95 percent of the world, with the expectation being that this number will rise even further as worldwide power grids slowly move away from fossil fuel sources.

Obtaining raw materials

The batteries of most EVs consist of thousands of lithium-ion cells (and other metals), meaning that mining for lithium is a critical part of the process. Of course, this can be an energy-intensive endeavor, itself emitting 15 metric tons of carbon dioxide for every metric ton of mined lithium. That’s around the same amount that a typical American emits in one year.

Battery production

Once the raw materials are available, the production of batteries in factories powered by fossil fuels and the transportation of the finished products to automobile manufacturing facilities contribute even further to the carbon footprint of the EV world. It turns out, however, that this initial bolus of carbon emissions is compensated for by the reduced lifetime emissions of EVs. Furthermore, as factories and transport vehicles themselves move to alternative energy sources, the initial bolus should diminish in size.

Battery recycling

As an increasing number of EV batteries reach the end of their 10-to-20-year lifespan, recycling in order to reuse raw materials will need to ramp up. In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency has already identified lithium-ion batteries as a significant source of fires in waste management facilities, adding further to the urgency.

The personal expense

The upfront cost of purchasing an EV is higher than that needed to purchase a traditional vehicle. In other words, an EV is typically at least a few thousand dollars more than a comparable gas-powered vehicle. If you invest in a charging station at home, the price tag can go up even more.

A few things can offset these costs. First, tax credits offered by a variety of entities take a significant bite out of the purchasing price. Second, aside from increased wear on tires, maintenance costs can be lower due to the relative simplicity of an electric motor (e.g. no oil changes). Finally, fully charging a standard EV battery ($0.14/kWh x 60 kWh = $8.40) can cost quite a bit less than filling a tank of gas ($4.00/gallon x 15 gallons = $60). When expressed in a different way, the EV might cost $0.04 per mile compared to $0.16 per mile for the gas vehicle.

Unfortunately, if you end up needing a replacement battery, you might be out of luck to the tune of several thousand dollars.

The pain of charging

Charging stations are not as abundant as gas stations, and on average, filling up gas is much faster than getting a full charge. It’s easy to get range anxiety, the fear of running out of power, and range annoyance, the irritation of spending time charging. Over time, EV range, the number of charging stations, and the time to charge are all expected to improve.

The employment issue

Because EVs require far fewer parts than vehicles with internal combustion engines, some anticipate that the number of factory assembly jobs could decline. Aligning workers with jobs that should prosper in an EV-dominated world will be key.

The demand for electricity

As more EVs populate the roadways, the question has been raised as to whether existing power grids can handle the demand. (One estimate suggests US generation capacity will need to double by 2050.) Most believe the answer is yes as long as sufficient money and thought are devoted to the situation.

 

If you’re not a tech/science/engineering type, here’s the bottom line about how electric vehicles work: You can skip the gas station unless you want a 20-oz. Mountain Dew.