Your Crash Course: Everything you need to know before buying an electric car
Forget everything you know about internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, says a recent Mashable report.
ICE cars take a fuel like gasoline and combine it with air. Then a spark ignites the compressed mixture, which causes a (small) explosion. The heat and expanding gas push down on the engine’s pistons which gets the car wheels moving. And repeat.
An electric vehicle, or EV, has two major components: an electric motor (or two for all-wheel drive) and a battery pack that powers it. You won’t find an internal combustion engine in a true EV, or a fuel pump, gas tank, or oil pan. No oil or smog checks necessary!