An alternator that is present in the vehicle will make the conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy that will help to charge the electrical appliances in the car. The energy coming from the engine will be mechanical energy which the vehicle will turn into electrical power with the help of an alternator. Many people often ask do electric cars have alternators.
In this article, you will learn whether your electric vehicle has an alternator or not. Before answering “do electric cars have alternators,” you must know there are different types of vehicles where the power supply will not take place in the same method.
If you are wondering how your electric car is powered to function correctly, you might also be confused about whether electric vehicles have alternators? Automobiles are developing daily, producing advancements in different models of cars and inventing new models.
One such model that came with the automobile design is the electric car. The first electric car was present in the US in 1890. The functioning of an electric car will be different from a fossil-fuel vehicle. If you are still wondering whether there is an alternator present in your electric car, then you must read this article.
Do Electric Cars Have Alternators?
You will come across different cars with alternators to power the battery and other components so that the vehicles will perform adequately, you might think that electric cars will also need an alternator to convert the mechanical energy. But the reality is that electric vehicles do not have alternators.
Now you might think about how electric cars will perform without an alternator. First, you know that not all vehicles use an alternator, but fossil-fueled cars will have an alternator.
The primary purpose of using an alternator in most vehicles is to charge the battery at 12 volts. But the alternator is not present in an electric car as there is a better option to charge the battery.
Therefore, placing an alternator in an electric vehicle will not be helpful. Like an alternator, the electric cars will have a DC-DC converter that will charge the battery and support the vehicle to perform smoothly.
If you have an electric car, you might know that there is a rechargeable battery inside which you can charge when required. When the battery charge is low, you can charge it at your home.
When the electric vehicle performs, the direct current in the battery will convert to an alternating current with the help of a DC-DC converter. Hence, the alternating current will go to the components and make the car function. It might be clear why the electric car does not require an alternator to produce alternating current.
Another reason why electric cars do not have an alternator is that there is no engine. So, there is no purpose in using an alternator in an electric vehicle. In other cars, the motor’s chemical energy will convert with an alternator’s help to electrical power.
Electric vehicles will not have engines as they work on a rechargeable battery. So, your electric vehicle will perform excellently even though they do not have an alternator.
How Does A DC-DC Converter Perform In Electric Vehicles?
Let’s also briefly examine how the DC-DC converter performs in your electric vehicle. The components present in the car, like the panel, LED light, and sensors, will require lower voltage, so you cannot directly supply from the battery.
In this case, the DC-DC converter will convert it to a lower voltage before providing it. The automobile industries produce modern DC-DC convertors to reduce the vehicle’s space consumption while providing excellent efficiency.
The battery in your car will contain 200-to-800-volt power. The DC-DC converter will reduce it to 48V or 12 V as required. Thus, you can supply the necessary power to the component of your electric vehicle using the DC-DC converter.
How Do You Charge the Battery In An Electric Car?
Owning an electric vehicle, you must also know the way to charge your battery as the vehicle’s functioning depends upon the battery’s performance. Although there is a myth prevailing that electric cars can self-charge, which is not entirely true, the regenerative braking mechanism in the modern hybrid vehicle can help the car keep moving.
Hence to charge the battery in your electric vehicle, you must plug it into a wall outlet or a charging device. Now, will that be the same way when you are driving the car in the middle of the road?
Do you need to find a wall outlet or a charging device? If you think logically and practically, this is impossible. Therefore, there is a solar panel present in the electric vehicle, which will help charge the battery when you are on the road.
Most electric vehicles will have a solar panel, an alternative source to charge the battery. The solar panel in your car will absorb the heat energy from the sun and convert it to direct current.
The DC electricity goes to the battery through the solar regulator that is available in the system. You can charge the battery when the vehicle is on the road or exposed to sunlight.
Alternator Vs DC-DC Convertor
In the current automobile industry, many engineers believe that the DC-DC converter is the best option and an alternative that you use instead of the traditional alternators.
The DC-DC converter is reliable and will prefer with high efficiency. So many road vehicles that are present for transportations intend to use DC-DC convertors as it is way better than an alternator.
The main benefit of using the DC-DC converter is that it does not get power by rotating the motor or engine. Instead, it will get directly from the HV battery in the vehicle.
The reliability of producing the required output voltage is also higher in a DC-DC converter. Hence due to the advanced performance and the trust, the DC-DC converter becomes superior when compared to an alternator.
Cons of Using DC-DC Converter
Although the DC-DC converter will be the best option and is now present in most electric cars, it also has some disadvantages. The primary cons of using a DC-DC convertor are the noise and the cost. During the performance, the convertor may generate noises. A DC-Dc converter is expensive, so if it gets damaged, you will have to spend a lot on replacing one.
We hope this article on “do electric cars have alternators” helped you understand the alternative mechanism present in electric vehicles instead of an alternator.
Similar Stories: Keep the Adventure Going
