BEV – Battery Electric Vehicle

BEV is the abbreviation for "Battery Electric Vehicle", which has now also become common in German. Alternatively, it is often referred to as a battery electric vehicle or battery electric car. This always refers to a purely electric vehicle that operates completely without a combustion engine and obtains the energy required for its operation exclusively from a battery installed in the vehicle. In contrast to other electric vehicles, such as the HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) or the FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle), BEVs are therefore often referred to as "pure electric vehicles".

A Battery Electric Vehicle is a vehicle that is powered exclusively by battery electricity. Accordingly, it stands in contrast to other so-called electric cars, such as Hybrid Electric Vehicles or Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles, which often run on a mix of energy. In the BEV, on the other hand, only an electric drive motor is installed, which receives the required energy from a powerful battery. This in turn is charged externally - for example at the energy filling station or at the wallbox at home. Some of the energy provided by the battery is also generated by the vehicle itself: When braking, a so-called energy recovery (recuperation) takes place, which ensures that the battery recharges somewhat with each braking. However, this effect cannot be used to power the BEV with the help of recuperation alone.

Completely battery electric cars offer a whole range of advantages. For example, a BEV is emission-free on the road because it runs without an internal combustion engine. In addition, those who operate their battery electric vehicle with electricity from renewable energy sources also save large amounts of CO2. Over the entire life cycle, battery electric vehicles accordingly have a significantly better balance sheet in terms of greenhouse gas emissions compared to cars with gasoline or diesel engines. In addition, BEVs incur much lower costs in terms of care and maintenance: there are no spark plugs or engine oil to change, the brakes are subjected to less stress, and a transmission is also a thing of the past in all-electric vehicles. Another plus point is that electric motors not only produce fewer exhaust gases, but also a lower noise level. Especially in cities, but also in rural residential areas, this can contribute to a better quality of life.

Although battery electric vehicles offer a number of advantages, they are also repeatedly criticized for various aspects. For example, there are the high energy costs and the consumption of valuable resources that occur in the production of the required batteries. In addition, many BEVs still have the problem of limited range and the batteries' susceptibility to temperature. The long charging times and the sometimes inadequate infrastructure with regard to available charging stations are also repeatedly criticized. However, most of these criticisms are due to the fact that the development of BEVs is still in its infancy. Experts assume that the already convincing environmental friendliness of the vehicles can be further enhanced by future developments.