Electric vehicles are catching on all over the world as automotive giants scramble to roll out zero-emission vehicles, especially for the sake of cities that are struggling with severe air pollution. The Indian passenger car market now also has fully-electric cars with the latest addition being introduced by Hyundai – Kona electric SUV. More manufacturers are planning to launch EVs next year, the first of which will be MG EZ EV electric SUV.
Point is that electric vehicles will gradually increase and if you are to step out with an objective to purchase an electric car, what are the things you should be looking out for. EV specifications are rather distinct compared to traditional vehicles with ICEs for which we’re used to specs like engine displacement, hp, fuel tank capacity, etc. So, here are some common EV terms and specifications:
Kilowatts (kW)
Kilowatt or kW is a lot like the measurement of power generated by the electric motor, much like bhp or PS in an ICE (internal combustion engine). One Kilowatt is roughly equal to 1.34 horsepower. Most EV specifications will denote its power in kW but for a simpler understanding, a lot of manufacturers will use PS. If it is mentioned as kW, simply multiply the kW metric by 1.3-1.5 in your head and you have an estimate of how powerful the car will feel. For instance, a 100 kW motor would have about 140 hp.
Kilowatt Hour (kWh)
Most EV specification sheets will mention the range of the vehicle but Kilowatt Hour (kWh) is another way of estimating it quickly. Kilowatt per hour is equivalent to battery size and capacity. A kWh pretty much describes how long will the battery pack last before running out, much like a fuel tank capacity. Bigger the kWh, bigger will be the range.
The other kW
Earlier we mentioned the Kilowatt or kW is simply the power generated by the electric motor, but this measurement is also used for an electric car’s charging rate. A spec sheet will clearly specify when kW is begin used for the charging rate.
In this context, kW describes the rate at which you can charge the battery over the course of one hour. For instance, a 10kW charger will add 10 kilowatt-hours to your battery in one hour. The specification sheet for Kona EV mentions a 0-80% charge @ 50 kW – with 50 kW signifying the rate of charging against which is mentioned the time to charge 80% of the battery (in Kona’s case – 57 minutes).
India’s first electric SUV comparison: Hyundai Kona vs MG eZS EV
State of Charge
Also known by the acronym SOC, it refers to the meter on an EV’s instrument panel that displays the current battery level as a percentage.
AMP
Short for ampere, this is a unit of electricity that refers to the steady current produced by one volt applied across a resistance of one ohm.
Regenerative Braking
A system used in EVs (and hybrid-powered cars) that recovers energy otherwise lost during deceleration and braking and sends it back to the battery pack to help maintain a charge. Some EVs, like the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Nissan Leaf, can maximize the regenerative braking effect to slow down – and even bring the vehicle to a stop – without using the brakes. This is commonly called “one-pedal” driving.
