Definition

1. Noun:
   • A car that is powered by electricity: An "electric automobile" is a motor vehicle designed for passenger transportation that uses one or more electric motors for propulsion, drawing power from rechargeable battery packs or other onboard electrical energy storage systems, rather than an internal combustion engine.

Usage

• The term "electric automobile" is a formal and technical noun phrase used to specify the type of powertrain a vehicle uses. It is commonly used in discussions about automotive technology, environmental policy, and sustainable transportation.
• It functions as a countable noun (e.g., , ).

Examples

• Noun:
  • The company's new model is a fully electric automobile with a range of 300 miles.
  • Governments are offering incentives to encourage consumers to buy electric automobiles.
  • The history of the electric automobile dates back to the late 19th century.

Advanced Usage

• "the electric automobile": Used to refer to the concept or category of electric cars as a whole.
  • The electric automobile represents a significant shift in personal mobility.

Variants and Related Words

• Electric vehicle (EV): A broader term that includes not only passenger cars but also trucks, buses, and other vehicles powered by electricity.
• Battery electric vehicle (BEV): A more specific technical term for an electric automobile that operates exclusively on electrical energy stored in batteries, with no secondary internal combustion engine.
• Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV): A related type of vehicle that combines a battery-powered electric motor with a conventional internal combustion engine.

Synonyms

• Electric car: A more common, less formal synonym.
• EV (Electric Vehicle): A widely used acronym, especially in informal and commercial contexts.
• Zero-emission vehicle (ZEV): A term emphasizing the lack of tailpipe emissions, though it can include hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Related Phrases

• Electric automobile industry: Refers to the sector of the economy involved in the design, manufacture, and sale of electric cars.
  • He invested heavily in the electric automobile industry.
• Electric automobile charger: A device used to supply electrical energy to the rechargeable batteries of an electric automobile.
  • We need to install a home electric automobile charger.

Noun

1. a car that is powered by electricity