What is an EV? What is an EV? What is an EV? What is an EV?
The term electric vehicle EV is limited to free running vehicles by land sea and air, so it does not include tethered Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) under the sea that are often used by military forces. It does not include vehicles lacking a large traction battery or similar power source on board so we are not including large diesel electric and nuclear electric submarines and ships for example. Yet what remains is already a fast growing $53 billion business at ex-factory prices. About 90% of that concerns land vehicles, the subject of this white paper.
Electric vehicles can be pure electric with only an electric power source – a battery and or a supercapacitor bank - on board or hybrid meaning with another major power source on board as well that is not electric. That may drive the wheels when extra power is needed ie a parallel hybrid – or simply charge the battery – a series hybrid.

Why have them?
For superlative performance, an electric vehicle is often the answer. For example, 0-60 mph in one second is achieved by some pure electric motorcycles and most manufacturers of designer sports cars are racing to make hybrid and pure electric versions because these make their existing products look jaded, not just old-fashioned. Military forces have many reasons for deploying hybrid electric and pure electric vehicles. For example, they can be silent and almost free of vibration as is useful in a robot bomb disposal vehicle or a stealth vehicle used for surveillance. However, there are many other reasons why electric land vehicles are rapidly gaining market share. An electric golf car is cheaper to make than an internal combustion one and easier to refuel, yet it lasts longer, needs less maintenance and has simpler parts.
Electric power trains can be more reliable, easier to repair and last longer. We shall even discuss structural batteries and smart skin coming along where power electrics and electronics become part of the structure of the vehicle. In all cases, reduced maintenance is welcomed in military applications because that equates to greater security and operational flexibility not just cost control.
Green Wheel of China demonstrated the following all-electric jeep style vehicle at eCarTec in Germany in October 2011.

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