Electric Vehicles

What are Electric Vehicles?

Natural Resources Canada classifies electric vehicles in two main categories: Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), and Hybrids (HEV). A third category, Plug-in Hybrid is a variation on Hybrid Electric vehicles.

What are battery-electric vehicles?

Battery-electric vehicles are powered by motors that draw electricity from on-board batteries, which act as an "engine" to propel it. Electric vehicles don't produce pollution from the tailpipe or through fuel evaporation, which means they have potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and smog-forming pollutants. Depending on the source of electricity used to recharge the batteries, the vehicles can also have low overall (life-cycle) GHG emissions.

What are hybrid electric vehicles?

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), combine a battery powered electric motor with a conventional internal combustion engine. Hybrids offer the extended driving range and rapid refueling of conventional vehicles, along with many of the energy and environmental benefits of electric vehicles. A number of hybrid vehicle models are widely available on the market today, with many more hybrid models due to enter the Canadian market in the next few years.

What are Plug-in Hybrid electric vehicles?

According to the US department of Energy, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) combine the benefits of pure electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. Like electric vehicles, they plug into the electric grid and can be powered by the stored electricity alone. Like hybrid electric vehicles, they have engines that enable greater driving range and battery recharging.

Currently, none of the commercially available hybrid electric vehicles in Canada need to be plugged in, because the motors use regenerative braking, coasting or the gasoline engine to recharge the batteries.