An electric vehicle is one that is powered exclusively by electricity, and carries with it it's own source of power. The most common way to accomplish this is by storing the electricity in a bank of batteries. The electricity stored in the batteries power an electric motor, which is coupled to the wheels. Some electric cars are purpose-built, built from the ground up with the intention of being powered by electricity. Others are conversions, a common production-line vehicle that has been modified by replacing the motor and adding storage areas for batteries.

Technological advancements have led to more and more versatility in electric vehicles. It is possible to build an electric vehicle that will easily outperform conventionally powered counterparts, but the cost effectiveness of these vehicles can still stand some improvement. Batteries with a given electrical capacity are constantly becoming cheaper and lighter, as are motors- but the real magic is in a device called the controller, which is responsible for regulating the amount of power to the motor from the batteries. The controller must be able to throttle the immense amount power without losing it in the form of heat, or failing. Controller technology is probably the most important and cutting edge area of development in electric vehicles

Another area of development concerns electric vehicles that "manufacture" their own electricity on-the-fly, using fuel cell technology. These vehicles most often convert hydrogen gas into electricity by means of a reaction on an atomic level, and a wider range of fuels are becoming possible due to recent developments (such as LP gas). The by-products of these reactions consist primarily of extremely inert substances, such as water.