All-electric vehicles, also referred to as battery electric vehicles (BEVs), have an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine. The vehicle uses a large traction battery pack to power the electric motor and must be plugged in to a wall outlet or charging equipment, also called electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). Because it runs on electricity, the vehicle emits no exhaust from a tailpipe and does not contain the typical liquid fuel components, such as a fuel pump, fuel line, or fuel tank.

Hybrid electric vehicles are powered by an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors, which uses energy stored in batteries. A hybrid electric vehicle cannot be plugged in to charge the battery. Instead, the battery is charged through regenerative braking and by the internal combustion engine. The extra power provided by the electric motor can potentially allow for a smaller engine. The battery can also power auxiliary loads and reduce engine idling when stopped. Together, these features result in better fuel economy without sacrificing performance.

An EREV (or E-REV) is a type of plug-in electric vehicle (EV) that is powered by an electric motor, but which uses a small petrol or diesel generator to produce electricity to charge the battery when it is depleted.The extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) is effectively an all-electric vehicle, with all the motive power provided by an electric motor, but with a small ICE present to generate additional electric power. Alternatively, it may be viewed as a series hybrid with a much larger battery, namely, 10–20 kWh;. When the battery is discharged to a specified level, the ICE is switched on to run a generator that, in turn, supplies power to the electric motor and/or recharges the battery. With this arrangement, the range limitation that is inherent in a BEV can be overcome.