An electric car is an automobile that uses electrical energy as the primary source of propulsion. The term normally refers to a plug-in electric vehicle, typically a battery electric vehicle (BEV), which only uses energy stored in on-board battery packs, but broadly may also include plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), range-extended electric vehicle (REEV) and fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), which can convert electric power from other fuels via a generator or a fuel cell.
Compared with conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, battery electric cars are quieter, more responsive and more energy-efficient, produce no exhaust emissions, and generally have lower life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions; the size of the climate benefit depends on factors including the vehicle, electricity mix, manufacturing and lifetime use. Due to the superior efficiency of electric motors, electric cars also generate less waste heat, thus reducing the need for engine cooling systems that are often large, complicated and maintenance-prone in ICE vehicles.
The battery of an electric car is typically recharged by connecting it to an external electricity supply. Recharging an electric car can be done at different kinds of charging stations; these charging stations can be installed in private homes, parking garages and public areas. There is also research and development in, as well as deployment of, other technologies such as battery swapping and inductive charging. As recharging centers (especially fast chargers) are widespread in some areas, range anxiety and the time required to charge are psychological obstacles for some consumers considering the purchase of an electric car.
Worldwide, 21 million plug-in electric cars were sold in 2025, accounting for over a quarter of new car sales and representing a 20% increase from 2024. Many countries have established government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles, including tax credits, subsidies, and other non-monetary incentives while several countries have legislated to phase out sales of fossil fuel cars, to reduce air pollution and limit climate change.
China currently has the largest stock of electric vehicles in the world, with cumulative sales of 22.09 million units through December 2024, although these figures also include heavy-duty commercial vehicles such as buses, garbage trucks and sanitation vehicles, and only account for vehicles manufactured in China. Chinese sales of new energy vehicles in 2016 totaled 507,000, consisting of 409,000 all-electric vehicles and 98,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles. Chinese sales of domestically-built new energy vehicles in 2017 totaled 777,000, consisting of 652,000 all-electric vehicles and 125,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles. Sales of domestically-produced new energy passenger vehicles totaled 579,000 units, consisting of 468,000 all-electric cars and 111,000 plug-in hybrids. Only domestically built all-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles qualify for government subsidies in China. Chinese sales of new energy vehicles in 2018 totaled 1.256 million, consisting of 984,000 all-electric vehicles and 271,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles. Sales of new energy vehicles totaled 1,206,000 units in 2019, down 4.0% from 2018, and includes 2,737 fuel cell vehicles. Battery electric vehicle sales totaled 972,000 units (down 1.2%) and plug-in hybrid sales totaled 232,000 vehicles (down 14.5%). Sales figures include passenger cars, buses and commercial vehicles.. NEV sales in China totaled 1.637 million in 2020, consisting of 1.246 million passenger cars and 121,000 commercial vehicles. NEV sales in China totaled 3.521 million in 2021 (all classes), consisting of 3.334 million passenger cars and 186,000 commercial vehicles. As of 2020, the total cost of ownership of recent electric vehicles in the United States and European Union was lower than that of equivalent ICE cars, due to lower power and maintenance costs.
In 2023, the Tesla Model Y became the world's best-selling car. The Tesla Model 3 became the world's all-time best-selling electric car in early 2020, and in June 2021 it became the first electric car to pass 1 million global sales.
Terminology
The term "electric car" typically refers specifically to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) or all-electric cars, a type of electric vehicle (EV) that has an onboard rechargeable battery pack that can be plugged in and charged from the electric grid, or at home with solar panels, and the electricity stored on the vehicle is the only energy source that provides propulsion for the wheels. The term generally refers to highway-capable automobiles, but there are also low-speed electric vehicles with limitations in terms of weight, power, and maximum speed that are allowed to travel on certain public roads. The latter are classified as Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) in the United States, and as electric motorised quadricycles in Europe.
History
Early developments Between 1832 and 1839, the Scottish inventor Robert Anderson developed a crude electric carriage.
The following experimental electric cars appeared during the 1880s: In 1881, Gustave Trouvé presented an electric car driven by an improved Siemens motor at the Exposition internationale d'Électricité de Paris. In 1882 Werner von Siemens presented the Electromote, the world's first trolleybus, in Berlin. In 1884, Thomas Parker built an electric car in Wolverhampton, England, using his own specially designed high-capacity rechargeable batteries, although the only documentation is a photograph from 1895. In 1888, the German inventor Andreas Flocken designed the Flocken Elektrowagen, regarded as the first "real" electric car. In 1890, Andrew Morrison introduced the first electric car to the United States.
Electricity was among the preferred methods for automobile propulsion in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, providing a level of comfort and an ease of operation that could not be achieved by the era's internal combustion cars. The electric vehicle fleet then peaked at approximately 30,000 vehicles.
In 1897, electric cars found commercial use as taxis in Britain and in the United States. In London, Walter Bersey's electric cabs were the first self-propelled vehicles for hire at a time when cabs were horse-drawn. In 1897, New York City had a fleet of twelve hansom cabs and one brougham, based on the Electrobat II, introduced as part of a project partly funded by the Philadelphia Electric Storage Battery Company. During the 20th century, the main US manufacturers of electric vehicles included Anthony Electric, Baker, Columbia, Anderson, Edison, Riker, Milburn Wagon Company (Milburn Light Electric), Bailey Electric, and Detroit Electric.
Six electric cars held the land speed record in the 19th century. The last was the rocket-shaped La Jamais Contente, driven by Camille Jenatzy, which broke the speed barrier by reaching a top speed of in 1899.
Electric cars remained popular until advances in internal-combustion engine (ICE) cars left them behind. At the time, the shorter refueling times and lower production costs of ICE vehicles made them more attractive to consumers than electric cars. A decisive moment came with the 1912 introduction of the electric starter motor that replaced laborious and dangerous methods such as hand-cranking.
Renaissance
In the early 1990s the California Air Resources Board began to push for lower-emissions vehicles, with the ultimate goal of zero-emissions vehicles. Automakers responded with electric models, although they were later withdrawn.See Who Killed the Electric Car? (2006)
California electric-automaker Tesla Motors began development in 2004 of what became the Tesla Roadster, first delivered to customers in 2008. The Roadster was the first highway-legal all-electric car to use lithium-ion battery cells, and the first production all-electric car to travel more than per charge. 2008: The Tesla Roadster becomes the first production electric vehicle to use lithium-ion battery cells as well as the first production electric vehicle to have a range of over 200 miles on a single charge.
Better Place developed battery charging and battery swapping services, but went bankrupt in 2013.
The 2009 Mitsubishi i-MiEV was the first highway-legal series production electric car, and the first to sell more than 10,000 units. The Nissan Leaf, launched in 2010, quickly surpassed it as the best-selling all-electric car.
In 2008, advances in battery technology, and the desire to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and improve urban air quality increased interest in EVs.See Introduction During the 2010s, EVs in China expanded rapidly with government support.
In July 2019 Motor Trend awarded the Tesla Model S the title "ultimate car of the year". In March 2020 the Tesla Model 3 passed the Nissan Leaf to become the best-selling electric car, with more than 500,000 units delivered; it reached 1 million units in June 2021.
In 2021, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation reported that the 187,000 sales of electric vehicles accounted for 6% of US light-duty vehicles. California led the United States with nearly 40% of purchases, followed by Florida with 6%, Texas with 5% and New York with 4.4%.
Economics EVs typically have a much lower cost of ownership than ICE vehicles. Early differences in purchase cost have shrunk due to intense competitive pressures.
Total cost of ownership Generally, electricity costs less than petrol per kilometre travelled, although petrol and electricity prices vary dramatically by location, origin and even time of day. Petrol prices are affected by taxes and fuel formulation, while electricity can come from sources such as rooftop solar or the electric grid. EV motors are far more efficient than internal combustion engines, which convert around two-thirds of the energy they consume into heat rather than propulsion.
The greater the distance driven per year, the more likely the total cost of ownership for an EV is less than for an equivalent ICE car.
EV drivers can save approximately 50% on maintenance and repair costs because EVs have a simpler mechanical structure and fewer moving parts than ICE vehicles.
Battery replacement The risk of an out-of-warranty battery replacement represents the greatest source of long-term financial uncertainty for EV owners. Replacement battery packs typically cost between $5,000 and $16,000, depending on the pack size and manufacturer. In large, high-capacity trucks, replacement quotes have been reported to approach $47,000, e.g., for the Long Range Ford F-150 Lightning.
Battery replacement events are rare, and batteries have achieved greater durability than anticipated. EV batteries often outlast vehicle lifetimes with minimal degradation. Industry standard warranties cover batteries for 8 years or 100,000 miles, guaranteeing minimum capacity retention, typically at 70%.
Purchase cost In 2024, electric cars were typically somewhat more expensive to purchase than ICE cars. That year saw a few categories where new electric cars were cheaper upfront than ICE vehicles. For instance, small EVs in China were roughly half the price of small petrol cars. Electric SUVs became cheaper than petrol ones for the first time in 2024 in China. In 2026, EVs in the UK had become cheaper to buy than petrol cars.
The largest cost item of an electric car is its battery. Battery prices decreased from per kWh in 2010, to in 2017, to in 2019. LFP batteries are cheaper than the more powerful NCM cells.
Environmental aspects
Life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions