An electric vehicle (EV) is powered by an onboard battery that converts electricity into torque and propels the vehicle. Its use of no combustion produces no tailpipe emissions and thus significantly reduces air pollution, which leads to hundreds of thousands of premature deaths each year in cities.
EVs are also much quieter than vehicles with traditional engines, and their batteries recharge quickly at stations. This helps to relieve range anxiety, a key concern of potential consumers. Moreover, EVs require fewer moving parts and are easier to maintain than gas-powered cars.
Newer lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries have improved range, are lighter in weight, and can function through many deep cycles without degrading, helping to lower cost. Furthermore, batteries can be recycled, and this will eventually eliminate the need to extract minerals to fuel vehicles.
However, the biggest barrier to EV adoption is infrastructure. As a result, many governments are establishing new policies and regulations to speed up the adoption of electric vehicles, including accelerated timelines for ICE sales bans, and subsidizing EV purchases.