Car manufacturers are increasingly including electric vehicles in their product ranges: one of the greatest innovations of recent years.

The electric car (called both “Battery Electric Vehicle” – BEV, and “Zero Emission Vehicle – ZEV) has one or more electric motors that use, as a primary source, the energy stored in one or more rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (and braking recovery).

Its power supply is therefore linked to the recharging of its batteries, which can be done at the charging stations (there are also domestic solutions).

Hybrid cars are equipped with two distinct engines, one combustion (petrol or diesel) and one electric, which combine in synergy to ensure both a reduction in harmful emissions and savings in fuel consumption.

There are several models of hybrid cars:

• Rechargeable hybrids (also called Plug-In Electric Vehicles – PHEV) are equipped with a conventional heat engine (with diesel or petrol tank) and a storage system with rechargeable batteries, also from the mains. Both engines provide mechanical power delivery (and brake recovery).
• Conventional hybrids (also called “Full Hybrid”), are equipped with both a storage system with rechargeable batteries, not from the mains, and a conventional petrol / diesel engine (and relative tank). Both engines provide mechanical power delivery (and braking recovery).