Whiz, Not Bang: Electric Vehicle Technology

PROJECT SYNOPSIS

Newer technology vehicles—electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and hybrid electric vehicles—are breaking sales records every year in Delaware. Local governments should support this growing market by adopting enabling policies and installing charging infrastructure. First, however, it is important to understand how this new technology differs from standard petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles with an internal combustion engine (ICE). ICE vehicles ignite liquid fuel and channel the energy through a series of physical mechanism to propel the vehicle. The tailpipe then discards the exhaust from that combustion process, releasing gases into the air.1