NCC Guide to towing with an EV - Manual / Resource - Page 4
WELCOME TO TOWING WITH AN EV
WHAT IS AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE?
One in 昀椀ve new cars sold in the UK is now an electric vehicle and there are
different types on the market. EV is generally an umbrella term used for a variety
though it predominantly applies to Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs).
This guide is aimed at battery-powered electric vehicles but it’s worth being
aware of some of the other types on the market.
BEV
This is the type of EV people think of –
completely powered by a battery and
has no power coming from a petrol
or diesel engine. It needs recharging,
which is typically done at home, or at a
public charging point. Many EV owners
now have 7kW-22kW chargers 昀椀tted to
their homes, while charging in public is
usually done using Fast, Rapid or UltraRapid chargers delivering up to 350kW.
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV)
As the word hybrid suggests, this
vehicle has both a battery to power the
car, plus an engine using either petrol
or diesel. Motorists plug in the car to a
power source to recharge in the same
way as an all-electric vehicle. Although
their electric range is usually quite
limited, PHEVs can help avoid ‘range
anxiety’ given the presence of a petrol
or diesel engine, and increase overall
fuel ef昀椀ciency.
Ford Kuga HEV
4 NCC Electric Vehicle Towing Guide
Polestar 3 EV
Volvo XC90 PHEV
Hybrid
Also sometime referred to as a ‘mild
hybrid’, this is a vehicle that is not
plugged in to recharge the battery.
Instead, the internal combustion engine
provides the charge, and the battery
helps with additional power when
needed, such as accelerating. The
charge is sometimes also generated
through other sources of energy, such
as that created when braking – known
as regenerative braking.
In addition, it’s worth noting other
vehicle types you might come across
such as ‘range-extended EVs’ and
‘hydrogen fuel cell vehicles’.
