Everything You Need to Know About Electric Vehicle Components

The world of the automotive industry is moving towards electric vehicles. These vehicles are becoming a part of modern life and help people save on fuel expenses. More reasons that sum up to their popularity are eco-friendliness and the smooth driving experience the cars offer. 

Unlike the traditional cars equipped with internal combustion engines, the EVs get power from rechargeable batteries installed inside them. These batteries also power the working of lights and wipers. There are many other components installed in the EVs that make driving economical and convenient.

Although, the components installed in an EV depend on the car type. Each component helps in determining the functioning of the car. You can find multiple electric vehicle components suppliers offering components you need to build up an energy-efficient vehicle. 

At present, four types of EVs are available in the market. In this article, we are going to talk about the common main components of electric vehicles and their function. 

Electric Vehicle Components

Traction Battery Pack

A traction battery is an electrical energy storage system that supplies power to the car in the form of direct current. Once receiving the signal from the controller, the battery starts supplying DC electricity to the inverter that drives the motor. The battery is rechargeable and has a long working life.

There are several types of traction battery packs available. The one which is commonly used is the lithium-ion battery that offers better discharge and charges efficiency.

Power Inverter

The job of the inverter is to change the direct current supplied by the battery into alternating current and transferring the same to the electric motor. Apart from this, the inverter of the electric vehicle also changes the AC current when regenerative braking to DC current to recharge the battery. The type of inverter used in the EVs falls under the category of the bi-directional inverter.

Motor

The motor takes in the electric current and changes it into kinetic energy used to move the vehicle. There are multiple advantages of using a motor in place of an engine, like less noise and vibration associated with vehicles are reduced. Because of the motor, drivers riding the EVs for the first time experience a comfortable and noise-free ride. Apart from this, the size of the motor is comparatively smaller than the engine, providing automotive engineers more space for designing a cabin and storage. 

Reducer

The reducer transmits the motor power to the wheel. But the reason why the component is called a reducer is that it reduces the higher RPM of the motor to match the driving circumstance. The reducer’s job in the electric vehicle is to reduce the RPM to the required level and provide it the advantage of higher torque.

Battery Management System

The battery management system (BMS) manages the multiple cells of the battery and ensures their precise operation in a single pack. An electric vehicle consists of a battery with several cells that need to be maintained in a similar condition to ensure the battery’s long-term and efficient performance.

Battery Heating System 

When EVs are used in low-temperature areas, their batteries experience a dip in both charging capacity and speed. Therefore, the need for a battery heater comes to the surface. It keeps the battery within an ideal temperature, maintaining the car’s performance best in all weather conditions. 

On-board Charger

The onboard charger converts direct current from portable chargers into alternating current. The charger may look similar to a traditional inverter but differs in function. A traditional inverter is used to convert DC to AC, and vice-versa, an OBC is used for charging purposes.

Electric Power Control Unit

An electrical power control unit connects all components that control the supply of electricity to the vehicle. It integrates inverter, voltage regulators, and the vehicle control unit.

Vehicle Control Unit 

An essential component of the electric power control unit, the vehicle control unit manages the power control systems of the EVs, including motor, A/C load management, regenerative braking control, and the entire power supply.

Charger

It is used to charge the battery of the EVs from outside sources. It converts the AC electrical energy into DC electricity and stores the same in the battery. There are two types of charges:

• On-board charger: the one which is installed in the car

• Off-board charger: the one which is portable.

Transmission

Used to transfer mechanical power from the electric traction motor to move the wheels.

DC/DC Converter

As the name says, the component converts higher-voltage DC power from the traction battery pack to the lower-voltage DC power required to move the vehicle and charge its battery.

Thermal System

The system helps in maintaining an appropriate operating temperature of the engine, motor, power electronics, and all other components.

Charge Port

The charge port makes it possible for the vehicle to connect to an external power supply and get the battery charged to keep the EV moving.

Author Bio:

Myself Jessica Adams author of this article Professionally I am handling marketing Manager post in SBPauto. I am a new blogger hope you like my blog.