Full-battery electric vehicles (BEVs)
These vehicles are entirely powered by electricity, charged from an external source, and produce no tailpipe emissions.
Extended-range electric vehicle (E-REVs)
These EVs primarily use an electric motor for propulsion, but have a small internal combustion engine that acts as a generator to recharge the battery if needed.
Parallel hybrids (also known as 'mild' or 'full' hybrids)
The electric motor in these vehicles is mainly charged by the car's wheels when braking and provides power at low speeds, with a traditional engine taking over at higher speeds. These can be either 'Mild' (in which the internal combustion engine is always assisted by an electric motor) or 'Full' (which can drive on electric power for short distances before the internal combustion engine starts).
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)
PHEVs feature both a battery and an internal combustion engine. The battery can be charged for short range electric driving, while the engine takes over for longer distances.