Plug-in Electric Vehicles: Fact Sheet

Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) use electricity from the energy grid to charge large battery packs, then use the
batteries to power an electric motor. They are primarily powered by electricity instead of liquid fuels and produce
no tailpipe emissions. Plug-in vehicles can also generate power from regenerative braking systems, which convert
kinetic energy from the vehicle’s brakes into electricity that is stored in the battery pack. Since plug-in vehicles rely
on rechargeable batteries for power, each vehicle has an electric range—the maximum number of miles it can
travel on battery power before it needs to recharge. Applications for these vehicles …

Electric Vehicles: Technology Brief

The global stock of electric vehicles (EVs) reached 1 million in 2015 and exceeded 2 million by the end of 2016. Yet faster growth is needed for EVs to fulfil their role in the global energy transition, both through lowering vehicle emissions and boosting renewable energy use.

This brief outlines the technological and policy advances still needed for EVs to help drive the transition to a sustainable global energy future.

Increasing reliance on EV batteries and charging stations would support higher shares of solar and wind power, the key variable renewable energy (VRE) sources expected to be prominent in future …

Fulfilling the Potential of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles

Fuel cell vehicles generate electricity by converting hydrogen and oxygen into water and energy. This reaction produces no air pollution and no global warming pollution—only water leaves a fuel cell vehicle’s tailpipe—but the process used to make the hydrogen can generate carbon emissions.

Steam methane reforming, or SMR, is the most common method for producing hydrogen at large industrial scales. SMR causes the methane found in natural gas to react with steam, producing hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide undergoes further reactions, generating more hydrogen and, crucially, carbon dioxide—a heat-trapping gas. Despite this, fuel cell vehicles driven on SMR-sourced …

Overcoming Barriers to Deployment of Plug-in Electric Vehicles

In the past few years, interest in plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) has grown. Advances in battery and other technologies, new federal standards for carbon-dioxide emissions and fuel economy, state zero-emission-vehicle requirements, and the current administration’s goal of putting millions of alternative-fuel vehicles on the road have all highlighted PEVs as a transportation alternative. Consumers are also beginning to recognize the advantages of PEVs over conventional vehicles, such as lower operating costs, smoother operation, and better acceleration; the ability to fuel up at home; and zero tailpipe emissions when the vehicle operates solely on its battery. There are, however, barriers to …

Accelerating Market for Electric Cars: Saving Fuel Costs and Emissions Clean Vehicles Program

Effects of Federal Tax Credits for the Purchase of Electric Vehicles

The federal government has adopted several policies to encourage the production and purchase of electric vehicles, which run partly or entirely on electric power stored in a battery that can be recharged from a standard home outlet. Such vehicles are fairly new, having been reintroduced commercially in the United States late in 2010. Federal policies to promote their manufacture and purchase include tax credits for buyers of new electric vehicles, financial support for the industry that produces them, and programs that promote efforts to educate consumers about electric vehicles and improve the infra- structure for recharging them. The Congressional Budget …

Plug-in Electric Vehicles: State DOT Policies and Incentives

A presentation on state electric vehicle Department of Transport policies.…

State of Charge Electric Vehicles’ Global Warming Emissions and Fuel-Cost Savings across the United States

Today, we are starting to see EVs enter the market as the result of investments and policies to develop vehicles with zero tailpipe emissions. In 2011, U.S. consumers could choose from two mass-produced electric-drive vehicles made by two major auto manufacturers: the fully electric Nissan LEAF, powered solely by batteries, and the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt, powered both by batteries and an internal combustion engine. In 2012, we expect to see additional options for consumers, including the plug-in versions of the Ford Fusion and Toyota Prius hybrids as well as the Honda Fit and Ford Focus battery- electric vehicles. The …

Transportation Tax Policies for Electric Vehicles: Revenue Impacts and Options

Unable to fund standard maintenance much less system expansion or environmental improvements. For first time ever less than half of state transportation expenditures from user fees. Increasingly states are borrowing to pay for maintenance and operations. Federal Highway Trust Fund and many state transportation funds are in deficit while legislators oppose increase in user fees…

Plug-in Electric Vehicles: Literature Review

This paper reviews the current literature on plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) with a focus on issues and solutions related to vehicle deployment and integration with the U.S. electrical grid. It is a companion to the Center’s “Plug-in Electric Vehicles Market: State of Play.” The subjects covered include vehicles, electricity, the passenger vehicle market, and public policy. This paper relies on the most recent research from government, private business, academia, and research institutions; peer-reviewed literature was used wherever possible. The paper’s purpose is to provide a foundation for overcoming some of the major hurdles to PEV deployment in the United States …