Hybrid, Plugin Hybrid and Electric Vehicles

With increasingly need for global better environmental preservation, Industries has come up with inventions that produce less toxins to the environment. One of these endeavors is green energy that has come up to replace the fuel and gasoline combustive engines. In the Automotive industries, the leading manufacturers has in the last two decades produced range of vehicles powered by electric or combination with gasoline.

This has resulted with

All electric Vehicles
Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Plugin Hybrid Electric Vehicles

All electric Vehicles

All-electric vehicles, also referred to as battery electric vehicles (BEVs), have an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine. The vehicle uses a large traction battery pack to power the electric motor and must be plugged in to a wall outlet or charging equipment, also called electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). Because it runs on electricity, the vehicle emits no exhaust from a tailpipe and does not contain the typical liquid fuel components, such as a fuel pump, fuel line, or fuel tank

Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Hybrid electric vehicles are powered by an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors, which uses energy stored in HEV batteries. A hybrid electric vehicle cannot be plugged in to charge the battery. Instead, the battery is charged through regenerative braking and by the internal combustion engine. The extra power provided by the electric motor can potentially allow for a smaller engine. The battery can also power auxiliary loads and reduce engine idling when stopped. Together, these features result in better fuel economy without sacrificing performance

Fuel-Efficient System Design

HEVs can be either mild or full hybrids, and full hybrids can be designed in series or parallel configurations.

· Mild hybrids—also called micro hybrids—use a battery and electric motor to help power the vehicle and can allow the engine to shut off when the vehicle stops (such as at traffic lights or in stop-and-go traffic), further improving fuel economy. Mild hybrid systems cannot power the vehicle using electricity alone. These vehicles generally cost less than full hybrids but provide less fuel economy benefit than full hybrids.

· Full hybrids have larger batteries and more powerful electric motors, which can power the vehicle for short distances and at low speeds. These vehicles cost more than mild hybrids but provide better fuel economy benefits.

There are different ways to combine the power from the electric motor and the engine. Parallel hybrids—the most common HEV design—connect the engine and the electric motor to the wheels through mechanical coupling. Both the electric motor and the internal combustion engine drive the wheels directly

Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) use batteries to power an electric motor, as well as another fuel, such as gasoline or diesel, to power an internal combustion engine or other propulsion source. PHEVs can charge their batteries through charging equipment and regenerative braking. PHEVs may also produce lower levels of emissions , depending on the electricity source and how often the vehicle is operated in all-electric mode.

What is the Battery Differences in EV, HEV, PHEV?

1. EV (Electric Vehicle) Battery

(EV) is a fully electric vehicle that has rechargeable batteries. These batteries are recharged from the grid and are the only source of power for the vehicle, as they do not have a tank for gasoline. When referring to these vehicles, they are also called a BEV.

2. HEV (Electric Vehicle) Battery

Hybrid Electric Vehicles are both electric and gas-powered. The energy that powers their batteries is gained through regenerative braking or while driving using the combustion engine. In a standard gas-powered car, the energy from the braking is lost in the form of heat. This happens by way of the rotors and brake pads. The grid cannot charge these types of electric vehicles

3. PHEV (Electric Vehicle) Battery

PHEVs have both an engine and an electric motor. Like a regular hybrid, PHEVs can recharge their batteries through regenerative braking or with the engine. The primary difference between an HEV and a PHEV is the addition of a charging port into the PHEV. In this way, a PHEV can operate more like a EV, driving off the battery and recharging off the grid, only using the combustion engine when the battery is depleted. PHEV batteries are typically higher capacity than HEV batteries.

Another difference is the distance they can travel before their gas engines turn on. A PHEV will run anywhere from 16 to 65 kilometer, whereas an HEV will only run less than 3 to 5 Kilometer.

NB: All of the above vehicles will require maintenance for their batteries, also called energy storage systems.

Energy Storage System Types

Batteries are essential to EVs, HEVs, and PHEVs. There are lithium-ion, nickel-metal hydride, and lead-acid energy storage systems. In addition to the above, there are also ultracapacitors that are used to provide additional power during acceleration.

EV, HEV & PHEV Maintenance and Recycling Batteries

To maintain these vehicles, it is important to have the batteries regularly checked per the car manufacturer.

Powertrain: Most EV, HEV, and PHEV vehicle manufacturers offer long warranties on powertrains, which speaks to their lasting reliability. The powertrain is simple and requires little maintenance (replacing fluid) when compared to gas-powered vehicles.

Brakes: With the regenerative braking system, brake wear is lower for those that rely on friction braking. However, components of friction braking such as rotors, pads, and brake fluid will still need to be replaced at some point.

Cooling: The energy storage systems on these vehicles use a coolant or refrigerant to keep key parts (charger, inverter, and battery pack) cool. Therefore, maintenance for cooling systems may require infrequent coolant flushes to help the vehicle’s efficiency.

Batteries: As for the maintenance of EV batteries, it is more about prolonging their life. Over time the packs will degrade, and the ability to hold a charge will decrease gradually. To prolong the life of these batteries, you can do the following:

In storage and in use, minimize high and low temperatures
Minimize the urge to want to stay at a 100% state of charge/Don’t stay at 0% for very long either
Although convenient, avoid fast charging
Avoid storage in high moisture areas
Avoid damage to mechanical components
Ultimately, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s calibration instructions/This will often require you to complete an initial full discharge

EV vs. HEV and PHEV Maintenance

When comparing all three electric vehicle types, we can see that the HEV and the PHEV will require more maintenance because it has a conventional combustion engine and an electric drivetrain. However, overall, the maintenance is significantly less when put up against an internal combustion engine.

Recycling EV Batteries

As with all batteries, they do have a life cycle and will need to be recycled. The recycling process for EV batteries typically involves recovering the individual parts and materials of the battery so as not to release hazardous toxins into the environment.
Makos Autotech with other global players has carried and continues to do extensive research on the batteries recycling and reconditioning