Technology
How do electric cars work?
Electric cars work by storing electricity in a large battery and using it to spin an electric motor that turns the wheels. There's no fuel or combustion — just electricity converted into motion, which is quieter and emission-free at the tailpipe.
See it in motion.
Watch a 2-minute animated lesson that shows exactly how electric cars works.
Step by step
- 1A big rechargeable battery stores energy (charged from the grid).
- 2An electric motor converts that electricity directly into rotation.
- 3No engine, fuel, or exhaust — far fewer moving parts.
- 4'Regenerative braking' recovers energy back into the battery when slowing.
Frequently asked questions
- How is an electric car different from a petrol car?
- It uses a battery and electric motor instead of fuel and a combustion engine — quieter, simpler, and zero tailpipe emissions.
- What is regenerative braking?
- When slowing down, the motor runs in reverse as a generator, converting motion back into stored electricity.
- Are electric cars better for the environment?
- They produce no tailpipe emissions; their total impact depends on how the electricity is generated.