A summary of EHV propulsion technology

The quest for a commercially successful electric vehicle invariably centers around three major factors which influence buyer decisions: performance, range, and cost. Using today´s technology, two items within an electric vehicle have the greatest influence on these factors. The battery is the primary determinant of range and to a lesser extent of performance. The design of the propulsion system sets the performance level of the vehicle and has a smaller effect on range. While the battery has the greatest impact on the life cycle cost of a vehicle, the propulsion system is a much larger contributor to the purchase price. Propulsion subsystem weight, efficiency, and cost are related to the specified combination of components used. Under the United States Department of Energy´s Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Program, propulsion component and system advancements have been made which will result in weight savings of 35-50 percent, efficiency gains of 25 percentage points, and significantly lower cost when compared to the state of the art at the inception of the program.