Different kinds of EVs (Types of EV options)

Know your Electric Vehicles

Here are the kinds of EVs available in the Philippine Market

Now is a great time to be in the market for an electric vehicle. But before diving in and making a purchase, here’s what you need to know.

In a nutshell, Electric vehicles (EVs) come in three main types: Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs). BEVs are fully electric, PHEVs combine gasoline and electric power and can be plugged in to charge their batteries, while HEVs do not need to be plugged in as the battery is charged by an internal combustion engine (ICE). FCEVs are currently not available in the Philippines.

Different car brands offer their own variations to these key technologies, but the formulas are essentially the same.

Battery Electric Vehicles, also called BEVs and more frequently called EVs, are fully electric vehicles with rechargeable batteries and no gasoline engine. All energy to run the vehicle comes from the battery pack which is recharged from the electric grid. BEVs are zero emissions vehicles, as they do not generate any harmful tailpipe emissions or air pollution hazards caused by traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.

Popular EV models are the BYD Atto 3, BYD eMax 7, BYD Dolphin, and BYD Seagull. The Atto 3 Premium has a 480km range. Kia also offers long-range EVs, namely the EV6 and the EV9

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles, or PHEVs, have both an engine and electric motor to drive the car. Like regular hybrids, they can recharge their battery through regenerative braking. They differ from regular hybrids by having a much larger battery, and being able to plug into the grid to recharge. While regular hybrids can (at low speed) travel just a few kilometers before the gasoline engine turns on, PHEVs can go much farther.

BYD’s version of PHEVs is its Super DM-i Technology that represents a game-changing evolution in intelligent EV technology. Exclusively developed by BYD, it brings a multitude of benefits, including energy efficiency, low fuel consumption, drive performance and comfort. At the heart of BYD Super DM-i is a system that uses a large capacity power battery as the primary power source and a gasoline engine that acts as an onboard charger for longer distance travel.

The Super DM-i system of the Sealion 6 consists of an electric motor, a 1.5-liter engine that serves as a power generator, and an 18.3 kWh Blade battery.

In normal driving scenarios, the system stays on EV mode and solely relies on the batteries. But when the system detects the battery’s state of charge is under 25%, that’s when the engine powers up to help in recharging while you’re moving. Put the pedal to the floor the engine combines with the electric motor to give you all 217 PS and 325 Nm of torque. The Sealion 6 DM-i has a rated electric range of 100 km, and a total driving range of up to 1,100km.

Hybrid Electric Vehicles, or HEVs, have both a gas-powered engine and an electric motor to drive the car. All energy for the battery is gained through regenerative braking, which recoups otherwise lost energy in braking to assist the gasoline engine during acceleration, and through the ICE. Regular hybrids cannot plug into the grid to recharge.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has recently updated the categories, and you can read more about them here, but to keep things simple, the above categories are enough to help you navigate the ever-growing world of EVs. Which one suits your needs best?