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Are electric cars mechanically propelled?
How do electric cars move? Are they mechanically propelled? Maybe that’s not the right term, but I’m confused about how they work, exactly.
Jason Crosby · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Like all vehicles, electric cars are mechanically propelled—they use
rechargeable batteries
to power their electric motors, which in turn, transfer energy into the wheels. This is how the car moves down the road. Keep reading to understand how electric cars, although different from gas-powered vehicles, use the same mechanics with a different energy source. Electric cars
have a single-speed transmission, meaning that power is directly transferred from the motor into the wheels. What this means for drivers is a lightning-fast acceleration time, since there’s no need for an engine to spend time building up torque in order to move the car forward. The car’s electrical system is carefully programmed to provide the proper amount of acceleration, depending on how much pressure the driver applies to the acceleration pedal. With no combustion required, no heat is building up, as it does with internal combustion gasoline engines. This is why many electric cars can operate past 10,000 RPMs, a level of performance that would normally overheat and fry all but the most performance-oriented combustion engines.
There’s also another reason why electric cars don’t have multi-gear transmissions: it would add on additional weight and increase production costs. Considering that many electric cars already have batteries that weigh in at over 1,000 lbs, carmakers are constantly looking for areas in which they can whittle down their vehicle’s curb weight.
And if you’re looking for ways to whittle down the amount you’re paying on your car insurance, turn to
Jerry
for assistance. Our app could potentially save you hundreds on your current policy. Find out if you’ve been overpaying within minutes. View full answer
- Gregory R.
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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