IV-I (R20) Fundamentals of Electric Vehicles

UNIT - 1
Introduction of Automobile or Vehicle:
An Automobile is a self-propelled vehicle which contains the power source for its
propulsion and is used for carrying passengers and goods on the ground, such as car, bus,
trucks, etc.,,
Types of Automobile:
The automobiles are classified by the following ways,
1) On the Basis of Load:
● Heavy transport vehicle (HTV) or heavy motor vehicle (HMV),
● Light transport vehicle (LTV),
● Light motor vehicle (LMV),
2) On the Basis of Wheels:
● Two wheeler vehicles, for example: Scooter, motorcycle,scooty, etc.
● Three wheeler vehicle, for example : Autorickshaw,
● Three wheeler scooter for handicaps and tempo, etc.
● Four wheeler vehicle, for example: Car, jeep, trucks, buses, etc.
● Six wheeler vehicle, for example: Big trucks with two gear axles.
3) On the basis of Fuel Used:
● Petrol vehicle, e.g. motorcycle,scooter, cars, etc.
● Diesel vehicles, e.g. trucks, buses, etc.
● Electric vehicles which use batteries to drive.
● Steam vehicle, e.g. an engine which uses a steam engine.
● Gas vehicle, e.g. LPG and CNG vehicles, where LPG is liquefied
4) On the basis of body style:
● Sedan Hatchback car.
● Coupe car Station wagon Convertible.
● Van Special purpose vehicle, e.g. ambulance, milk van, etc.
5) On the basis of Transmission:
● Conventional vehicles with manual transmission, e.g. cars with 5 gears.
● Semi-automatic
● Automatic : In automatic transmission, gears are not required to be changed
manually.
6) On the basis of Drive:
● Left hand drive
● Right hand drive
7) On the basis of Driving Axle
● Front wheel drive
● Rear wheel drive
● All wheel drive
8) Position of Engine:
● Engine in Front - Most of the vehicles have engines in the front. Example :
most of the cars,
● Engine in the Rear Side Very few vehicles have an engine located in the rear.
Example : Nano car.

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Vehicle construction and Components

The main components of an automobile refer to the following components:
● Frame,
● Chassis,
● Body,
● Power unit,
● Transmission system.

★ An automobile is made up of mainly two units, these are Chassis and Body.
★ “Frame” + “Base components” = “Chassis”
★ “Chassis” + “Body” = “Vehicle”
Frame:
The frame is the skeleton of the vehicle. It serves as a main foundation and base for
alignment for the chassis.
Chassis:
If the frame contains the base components it is called a chassis. The components are
like Engine, radiator, clutch, gearbox, silencer, road wheels, fuel tank, wirings, differential
units, etc..,
Functions of a Chassis
1) Supports or bears the load of the vehicle body.
2) Provide the space and mounting location for various aggregates of vehicles.
3) Supports the weight of various systems of the vehicle such as engine, transmission
etc.
4) Supports a load of passengers as well as the luggage.
5) Withstands the stresses arising due to bad road conditions.
6) Withstands stresses during braking and acceleration of the vehicle
Body:
❖ Body is the super-structure for all vehicles. It may either be constructed separately
and bolted to the chassis or manufactured integral with the chassis (i.e. Frameless
construction).

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❖ The chassis and the body make the complete vehicle.

❖ A body consists of windows and doors, engine cover, roof, luggage cover etc. The
electrical system in the body is connected to the chassis electrical units so that the
battery and the generator/alternator can furnish the required electrical energy to the
system.
Types: Car, Truck, Tractor, Delivery Van, Ambulance, jeep, Bus, etc..,
Layouts of an Automobile
The different layouts of an automobile are as follows
● Front Engine Rear Wheel Drive
● Front Engine Front Wheel Drive
● Rear Engine Rear Wheel Drive
● Four Wheel Drive (All Wheel Drive)
Advantages of Conventional Automobiles or vehicles
1. Cost
Compared to Electric cars and their diesel counterparts, gas-powered cars are the best
cost-efficient option in terms of investment.
2. Powerful
Gasoline cars have better pickup and easy acceleration.
3. Less Noisy
High on acceleration, gasoline engines are also less noisy. Cars fuelled by petrol are
more silent than their diesel variants.
4. Low maintenance costs
Low service cost on repairs and maintenance are major advantages of gasoline cars as
you can find a repair shop easily.
5. Fuel is readily available
The biggest factor why gasoline cars are widely sold is the availability of fuel. You
can find a refilling station almost everywhere these days.
Disadvantages of Conventional Automobiles or vehicles
1. Emissions
Even if Petrol vehicles are on average less polluting than diesel vehicles, they do
emit carbon monoxide and other particulates into the environment upon combustion.
2. Low fuel efficiency
Gasoline cars have low fuel efficiency meaning that, even if you can avail fuel for
your car easily, you won’t be able to travel farther without refuelling your car.
3. Health hazards
Exposure to Gasoline can occur from filling your tank, from a gas leak in your engine,
or from general spills and accidents. Humans can be affected by ingestion, inhalation,
or even fire incidents at gas refilling stations. Gasoline cans reportedly ignited or
exploded in about 5% of thermal burn injuries and fatalities.
4. Fossil fuels dependency
It’s a fact that Fossil fuels are non-renewable sources of energy, and gasoline is
processed from these sources underneath the earth’s surface. We may run out of
gasoline in the nearing years, which is among the greatly feared disadvantages of
gasoline cars and other vehicles.

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NEED FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES

❖ REDUCTION OF FOSSIL FUELS Electric vehicles do not consume fossil fuels
directly, but instead are powered from the energy stored in on-board batteries. The
energy needed to create the electricity to charge the batteries can be from burning
fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable solar and wind, as well as
nuclear.
❖ CARBON-BASED FUELS throughout history, most of the energy used in the world
has been generated by burning organic fuel that contains carbon (C). Carbon is
formed from materials that were once alive on the earth, including:
➢ Plants that die and eventually are turned into coal, oil, and natural gas.
➢ Animal life of all types that also dies and decays to form carbon-fuels. The
source of carbon-based fuels is limited to the remains of dead plants and
animals and is therefore not a limitless resource.
❖ CARBON-BASED EMISSIONS When carbon-based fuels are burned, the carbon
and the hydrogen from the fuel combine with the 21% oxygen and the 78% nitrogen
in the air to create many new and often dangerous compounds, including:
➢ A colourless, odourless poisonous gas.
➢ Carbon dioxide (CO2) - an inert greenhouse gas, which is thought to cause
climate change.
➢ Hydrocarbons (HC) - this is simply unburned fuel and is one of the
components of smog. Smog is a term used to describe a condition that looks
like smoke and/or fog.
❖ GREENHOUSE GASES Greenhouse gases (GHG) are those gases in our
atmosphere that, if in too great a concentration, can prevent heat from escaping the
surface, leading to an increase in the temperature on earth. In a nursery greenhouse,
the glass panes are painted white to reflect the heat back into the greenhouse
HISTORY OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES
EV development involve five key stages
❖ Beginning stage (1801-1850)
❖ First Age (1851-1900)
❖ Boom and Bust (1901-1950)
❖ Second Age (1951-2000)
❖ Third Age (2001-Present)
Beginning stage (1801-1850)
● The earliest electric vehicles were invented in Scotland and the USA.
● Prior to the 1830s, the means of transportation was only through steam power, since
the laws of electromagnetic induction, and consequently electric motors and
generators, were yet to be discovered.
● Faraday demonstrated the principle of electric motor as early as in 1820 through a
wire rod carrying electric current and a magnet, but it was in 1831 when he
discovered the laws of electromagnetic induction that enabled the development and
demonstration of electric motors and generators that is essential for electric
transportation

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1832-39
– Robert Anderson of Scotland built the first prototype electric carriage.
1834
– Thomas Davenport of the USA invented the first direct current electrical motor in a car that
operates on a circular electrified track.
First Age (1851-1900)
● Electric vehicles enter the market and start to find broad appeal.
1888
– German engineer Andreas Flocken built the first four-wheeled electric car.
1897
– The first commercial EVs entered the New York City taxi fleet. The Pope Manufacturing
Company became the first large-scale EV manufacturer in the USA.
1899
– The ‘La Jamais Contente’ (The Never Happy!), built in France, became the first electric
vehicle to travel over 100 km/h.
1900
– Electricity powered cars were the bestselling road vehicles in the USA with about 28% of
the market.
Boom and Bust (1901-1950)
● EVs reach historical peaks of production but are then displaced by petrol-engine cars.
● In 1885, the first Gasoline-powered tricycle car was invented.
1908
– The petrol-powered Ford Model T was introduced to the market.
1909
– William Taft was the first US President to buy an automobile, a Baker Electric.
1912
– The electric starter motor was invented by Charles Kettering. This made it easier to drive
petrol cars because handcranking was not now necessary. The global stock of EVs reached
around 30,000.
1930
– By 1935, the number of EVs dropped almost to zero and ICE vehicles dominated because
of cheap petrol.
1947
– Oil rationing in Japan led carmaker Tama to release a 4.5 hp electric car. It used a 40V
lead-acid battery.
Second Age (1951-2000)
● High oil prices and pollution created a new interest in electric vehicles.
1966
– The US Congress introduced legislation recommending EVs as a way of reducing air
pollution.

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1973
– The OPEC oil embargo caused high oil prices, long delays at fuel stations, and therefore
renewed interest in EVs.
1976
– The French government launched the ‘PREDIT’, which was a programme accelerating EV
research and development.
1996
– To comply with California’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) requirements of 1990, GM
produced the EV1 electric car.
1997
– In Japan, Toyota began sales of the Prius, the world’s first commercial hybrid car. Eighteen
thousand were sold in the first year.
Third Age (2001 - Present)
● Public and private sectors now commit to vehicle electrification.
2008
– Oil prices reached record highs.
2010
– The Nissan LEAF was launched.
2011
– The world’s largest electric car sharing service, Autolib, was launched in Paris with a
targeted stock of 3,000 vehicles.
2011
– The global stock of EVs reached around 50,000. The French government fleet consortium
committed to purchase 50,000 EVs over four years. Nissan LEAF won the European Car of
the Year award.
2012
– The Chevrolet Volt PHEV outsold half the car models on the US market. The global stock
of EVs reached around 180,000.
2014
– Tesla Model S: Euro NCAP 5-star safety rating, autopilot tequipped, available all-wheel
drive dual motor with 0–60 mph in as little as 2.8 seconds and a range of up to 330 miles.
2015
– Car manufacturers were caught cheating emission regulations making EVs more prominent
in people’s minds as perhaps the best way to reduce consumption and emissions.
– The global stock of EVs reached around 700,000 and continues to grow (22,000 in the UK
and 275,000 in the USA).
2016
– Global Nissan LEAF sales passed 250,000 units in December 2016. The Tesla Model S was
the world’s best-selling plug-in electric car in 2016 for the second year running.
– In December 2016, Norway became the first country where 5% of all registered passenger
cars were plug-in electric.
2017

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– Consumer Reports named Tesla as the top car brand in the United States and ranked it 8th
among global carmakers. Deliveries of the Tesla Model S passed the 200,000 mark.
2018
– Global sales of the Nissan LEAF achieved 300,000 units in January 2018. The global stock
of plug-in electric passenger cars reached 5.1 million units in December 2018, consisting of
3.3 million all-electric cars (65%) and 1.8 million plug-in hybrid cars (35%).
2019
– Jaguar’s all-electric Performance SUV won Germany’s most famous car award, the Golden
Steering Wheel.
– The I-PACE triumphed in the Mid-size SUV category, ahead of the Audi Q3 and Seat
Tarraco.
– IMI TechSafe™ was launched to improve technology safety, by ensuring technicians are
fully trained and have current competence before working on high voltage systems.
TYPES OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES
There are four types of electric vehicles available:
● Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV):Fully powered by electricity. These are more
efficient compared to hybrid and plug-in hybrids.
● Hybrid Electric Vehicle:
➔ Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV): The vehicle uses both the internal combustion
(usually petrol) engine and the battery-powered motor powertrain. The petrol
engine is used both to drive and charge when the battery is empty. These
vehicles are not as efficient as fully electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles.
➔ Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV): Uses both an internal combustion
engine and a battery charged from an external socket (they have a plug). This
means the vehicle’s battery can be charged with electricity rather than the
engine. PHEVs are more efficient than HEVs but less efficient than BEVs.
● Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV):Electric energy is produced from chemical
energy. For example, a hydrogen FCEV.
System Architecture of 4 types of electric cars is as follows:
1) Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs)
➢ BEVs are also known as All-Electric Vehicles
(AEV).
➢ Electric Vehicles using BEV technology run
entirely on a battery-powered electric drive
train.
➢ The electricity used to drive the vehicle is
stored in a large battery pack which can be
charged by plugging into the electricity grid.

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➢ The charged battery pack then provides power to one or more electric motors to run
the electric car.
Main Components of BEV:
Electric motor, Inverter, Battery, Control Module, Drive train
Working Principles of BEV:
★ The power for the electric motor is converted from the DC Battery to AC.
★ As the accelerator is pressed, a signal is sent to the controller. The controller adjusts
the speed of the vehicle by changing the frequency of the AC power from the inverter
to the motor.
★ The motor then connects and leads to the turning of wheels through a cog.
★ If the brakes are pressed, or the electric car is decelerating, the motor becomes an
alternator and produces power, which is sent back to the battery.
Examples of BEV:
MG ZS, TATA Nexon, TATA Tigor, Mahindra E20 plus, Hyundai Kona, Mahindra Verito
2) Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV):
➢ HEVs are also known as series hybrid or parallel hybrid.
➢ HEVs have both an engine and electric motor.
The engine gets energy from fuel, and the
motor gets electricity from batteries.
➢ The transmission is rotated simultaneously by
both engine and electric motor. This then
drives the wheels.
Main Components of HEV:
Engine, Electric motor, Battery pack with controller
& inverter, Fuel tank, Control module
Working Principles of HEV:
The fuel tank supplies energy to the engine like a
regular car. The batteries run on an electric motor. Both the engine and electric motor can turn
the transmission at the same time.
Examples of HEV:
Honda Civic hybrid, Toyota Yaris hybrid, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Jaguar I - Pace etc.,
3) Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV):
➢ The PHEVs are also known as series hybrids.
➢ They have both an engine and a motor. You can choose among the fuels, conventional
fuel (such as petrol) or alternative fuel (such
as biodiesel).
➢ It can also be powered by a rechargeable
battery pack. The battery can be charged
externally.
➢ PHEVs can run in at least 2 modes:
● All-electric Mode, in which the motor
and battery provide all the car’s
energy.

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● Hybrid Mode, in which both electricity and petrol/diesel are employed.

Main Components of PHEV:
Electric motor, Engine, Inverter, Battery, Fuel tank, Control module, Battery Charger (if
onboard model)
Working Principles of PHEV:
★ PHEVs start-up in all-electric mode and make use of electricity until their battery
pack is depleted.
★ Once the battery gets drained, the engine takes over, and the vehicle operates as a
conventional, non-plug-in hybrid.
★ PHEVs can be charged by plugging into an outside electric power source, engine, or
regenerative braking.
★ When brakes are applied, the electric motor acts as a generator, using the energy to
charge the battery.
★ The engine’s power is supplemented by the electric motor; as a result, smaller engines
can be used, increasing the car’s fuel efficiency without compromising performance.
Examples of PHEV:
Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid, BMW 330e, Ford C-Max Energi, Mercedes C350e, Mini
Cooper SE Countryman, Ford Fusion Energi, Audi A3 E-Tron, BMW i8, Fiat 500e, Hyundai
Sonata, Kia Optima, Volvo XC90 T8.
4) Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV):
➢ FCEVs are also known as Zero-Emission
Vehicles.
➢ They employ ‘fuel cell technology’ to
generate the electricity required to run the
vehicle. The chemical energy of the fuel is
converted directly into electric energy.
Main Components of FCEV:
Electric motor, Fuel-cell stack, Hydrogen storage
tank, battery with converter and controller
Working Principles of FCEV:
The FCEV generates the electricity required to run this vehicle on the vehicle itself.
Examples of FCEV:
Toyota Mirai, Riversimple Rasa, Hyundai Tucson FCEV, Honda Clarity Fuel Cell, Hyundai
Nexo.
ADVANTAGES OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES
There are many advantages of an EV compared to a vehicle powered by an Internal
Combustion Engine, which include the following:
★ Initial torque - Electric vehicles have high torque at the starting from a stop and can
provide a rapid acceleration experience to the driver.
★ Better handling and stability - The high-voltage battery in an EV, being the heaviest
electric component, is placed very low, on the body floor resulting in a very low
centre of mass. This gives the vehicle more stability, resulting in better handling for
the vehicle.

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★ Maximum traction - Electric motors are independently controlled, thereby providing

precise control on each wheel for maximum traction in all wheel drive EVs.
★ More efficient than gasoline vehicles - An EV is more efficient than a gasoline
vehicle in converting stored energy into energy of motion.
★ Less cost of operation - Cost of operation of an EV is less when compared to
gasoline vehicle because the cost of electricity is less when compared to fossil fuels,
as well as the high efficiency of the electric motor.
★ Less maintenance - Fewer moving parts are included in EVs so the maintenance
required is reduced. There is no need for oil changes and the brakes may last the life
of the vehicle because of the regenerative braking technology. Only some items
require periodical maintenance, which include tire rotation, changing the cabin filter,
adding windshield washer fluid, and replacing the windshield wiper blades.
★ EVs are quiet and eco friendly - EVs are very quiet and do not make any sound
while operating. So EVs will be more suitable for big cities where noise pollution is a
concern. Also due to zero emission, it is considered eco friendly.
★ Charge from your house - Most of the EVs can be charged from the household
itself.
DISADVANTAGES OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES
There are several disadvantages of an EV compared to an Internal Combustion Engine
vehicle including:
★ Limited range - While range is increasing due to improved battery designs, range is
still a concern for many people. Early EVs had a range of up to 80 miles, but newer
models are now reaching a range of 240 to 300 miles or more.
★ Electrical needs at home - Most EVs are charged at home and this usually means
that the electric service needs to be installed or upgraded to provide a 220–240- volt
outlet near the vehicle to allow overnight charging.
★ High initial cost - Because the cost of the high-voltage batteries is high, the cost of an
EV is higher than an ICE vehicle of the same type and size.
APPLICATIONS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Electric vehicles (EVs) have several applications, including:
1. Personal transportation: EVs are becoming increasingly popular as an
alternative to gasoline-powered cars for personal transportation.
2. Fleet transportation: Many government agencies and companies are
incorporating EVs into their fleets for more sustainable and cost-effective
transportation.
3. Delivery and courier services: EVs are ideal for short-distance delivery
services as they are quiet and emission-free.
4. Public transportation: Buses, trains, and trams powered by electricity are
becoming increasingly common in cities for low-emission public
transportation.
5. Industrial and commercial applications: EVs are used in a variety of
industrial and commercial applications, such as material handling
equipment, airport ground support vehicles, and maintenance vehicles.

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6. Off-road vehicles: Electric ATVs, motorcycles, and dirt bikes are gaining
popularity for off-road recreation and work applications.

7. Energy storage systems: EVs can be used as mobile energy storage systems
to help stabilise the grid and provide backup power during outages.

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