Transportation is vital to each of us. The transportation sector generates about one-third of greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels.* When you make transportation choices like carpooling, use of public transportation or driving an electric vehicle (EV), you make a difference by reducing CO2 emissions and use of natural resources for the planet.
Electricity can be used to power EVs, including both all-electric vehicles, also called battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). These vehicles can charge their batteries by taking electricity directly from the grid and other off-board electrical power sources.
In contrast, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are fueled with liquid fuels, like gasoline, but use small batteries to recapture energy otherwise lost during braking (ultimately boosting fuel economy). PHEVs can use off-board electricity for power, which classifies them as EVs, but can also use liquid fuels and operate similar to HEVs if necessary.
