The operation of an EV is similar to that of an internal combustion vehicle. An ignition key or numeric keypad is used to power up the vehicle’s instrumentation panels and electronic control module (ECM). A gearshift placed in Drive or Reverse engages the vehicle. When the brake pedal is released, the vehicle may creep in a fashion similar to an internal combustion vehicle. When the driver pushes the accelerator pedal, a signal is sent to the ECM, which in turn applies a current and voltage from the battery system to the electric motor that is proportional to the degree to which the accelerator pedal is depressed. The motor in turn applies torque to the EV wheels. Because power/torque curves for electric motors are much broader than those for internal combustion (IC) engines, the acceleration of an EV can be much quicker. Most Evs have a built-in feature called regenerative braking, which comes into play when the accelerator pedal is released or the brake pedal is applied. This feature captures the vehicle’s kinetic energy and routes it through the ECM to the battery pack. Regenerative braking mimics the deceleration effects of an IC engine.
An appealing quality of EVs is that they operate very quietly. For the most part, the handling and operation of commercial EVs is comparable to their internal combustion counterparts.
An appealing quality of EVs is that they operate very quietly. For the most part, the handling and operation of commercial EVs is comparable to their internal combustion counterparts.