Electric and hybrid vehicles

Vehicles driven by electric motors from batteries, and hybrids that combine an engine with a battery.

Conversion and use · Transport systems · No. 112

• Conversion and use

One in four new cars sold in 2025 was electric, and in China nearly 70% of battery cars now undercut petrol ones.

Chart: Illustration: Electric and hybrid vehicles

Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Charging pushes lithium ions into the graphite anode; driving lets them flow back while an inverter spins the motor. Braking runs the motor as a generator, reusing about 22% of socket energy.

Three things to know

1. CATL and BYD made over half of all EV batteries fitted in 2025, and China built over 80% of battery cells.
2. Charging from a household socket can waste almost 25% of the electricity, against under 7% at a wallbox (ADAC, 2026).
3. A hydrogen fuel-cell car gets only 25-35% of renewable electricity to the wheels, against 70-80% for a battery car.

The journey

1. 1 Grid socketAlternating current from wallbox or plug
2. 2 ChargerConverts to direct current, about 90% efficient
3. 3 Battery packLithium ions stored in a graphite anode
4. 4 Inverter, motorThree-phase current spins the motor
5. 5 WheelsBraking sends energy back to the battery

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