Electric cars are vehicles that derive their power from electric motors. Many people may think that they are a relatively new invention, when in reality, some of the first cars produced were already powered by battery-powered electric motors. However, due to the rapid development of internal combustion engines, electric vehicles were pushed out of the market.

Electric motor systems are ecological and emit less pollution than combustion engines. They are also very energy efficient. In fact, 75 percent of the energy stored in a battery reaches the wheels of a car, while only 20 percent of the chemical energy derived from gasoline is used by the wheels of an internal combustion engine.

Another advantage of electric cars is that they can provide power at the speed of a motor. This ensures strong acceleration performance for the electric vehicle.

The major factor determining the cost and performance of electric cars is the batteries. Today, advances in automotive electric technology have produced a number of battery types, including advanced lead-acid batteries, lithium polymer batteries, and nickel metal hydride. However, even if an electric motor is extremely efficient, the capacity of the batteries is still very limited. For example, the best batteries can store only a fraction of the energy of a gallon of gasoline in the same volume. The apparent solution to this is reloading. However, fully charging the battery can take a long time.

Electric cars still have a long way to go before reaching the mainstream market. Technology continues to improve and new innovations are constantly being introduced. Currently, hybrid vehicles such as the gasoline-electric hybrid are seeing considerable success. With the continued advancement in electric car technology, it may not be long before we see a more efficient and powerful electric car, and this time, they’ll likely be on the market for good.