Electric Vehicle Books A Guide to the Latest Reads for EV Enthusiasts

An all-in-one electric vehicle guide for first-time EV buyers. We help you buy a car that fits your life!

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Best Electric Cars

Best Electric Cars

Car and Driver's rankings are arrived at from the results of our extensive instrumented testing of more than 400 vehicles each year and from our expert editors' subjective impressions gained in real-world driving. We've ranked the Best Electric Cars based on roughly 200 data points encompassing acceleration, handling, comfort, cargo space, fuel efficiency, value, and how enjoyable they are to drive. We take rankings seriously because we want you to know everything about the vehicles that you're interested in.

Read about how we test and evaluate vehicles here.

Best Electric Cars at a glance

1

EPA Est. Range

C/D SAYS:

The Ioniq 6 sedan is one of our favorite electric vehicles, with strong performance, a long driving range, and a fantastic design inside and out.

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2

EPA Est. Range

C/D SAYS:

The 2024 BMW i4 M50's intense performance warms our hearts to an all-electric future but the xDrive40's 307-mile driving range is worth celebrating too.

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3

EPA Est. Range

C/D SAYS:

The 2024 Polestar 2 is an EV hatchback that evolves into a more tempting Tesla alternative every year thanks to updates and fine-tuning.

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4

EPA Est. Range

C/D SAYS:

Say what you will about Tesla and its leader, Elon Musk, but the Model 3 EV sedan changed the rules of the EV game, and it gets important updates this year.

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5

EPA Est. Range

C/D SAYS:

Volkswagen's expanding ID family of EVs is growing to include the ID.7 sedan, a Passat-sized four-door with sleek, aerodynamic lines.

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6

EPA Est. Range

C/D SAYS:

Fiat's retro-cute 500, now exclusively offered with electric power, is a small and affordable EV with not much range or performance but plenty of character.

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7

EPA Est. Range

C/D SAYS:

The electric 2024 Nissan Leaf hatchback doesn't have much driving range, but it's among the most affordable EVs you can buy.

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8

EPA Est. Range

C/D SAYS:

The 2024 Mini Cooper Electric blends the brand's trademark styling cues and entertaining driving dynamics with an environmentally friendly electric powertrain.

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9

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C/D SAYS:

The 2024 Toyota Mirai marries a hydrogen-powered drivetrain with a stylish design and upscale cabin, but it's only available in California.

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View More Car and Driver Rankings

FAQs

Can you charge an electric car at home?

Home charging is generally the most cost-effective way to charge an electric car. With the right at-home charging equipment, many electric cars can achieve a full charge overnight.

How long does it take to charge an electric car?

The time it takes to charge an electric car depends on multiple variables, including the specific electric vehicle (i.e., its battery capacity) and the power source that the charging equipment is plugged into. An average electric car could take roughly 1012 hours for a full charge on a Level 2 (240-volt source) or 30-45 minutes for a 1090-percent charge on a Level 3 public DC fast charger.

How much does it cost to charge an electric car?

The cost of charging an electric car is determined by several factors, including local electricity costs and if you're using a home or public charger. But typically public fast charging costs two- to four-times more than charging at home.

How long do electric car batteries last?

The federal government requires automakers to warranty the batteries of their electric cars for a minimum of eight years and 100,000 miles, with California stepping that up to 10 years and 150,000 miles. This ought to serve as a reasonable estimate for the minimum expected life of an EV's battery pack, with most packs lasting for many years and miles past their warranty expiration date.

Do electric cars need oil changes?

The electric drive motors of an electric car require minimal maintenance and are far simpler than an internal combustion engine. Whereas gas- or diesel-powered cars require regular oil changes, electric cars do not. However, electric cars do have coolant thats used to control the temperature of the battery pack and motors and oil in the drive units, but these fluids are typically replaced at much longer intervals than in a gas-powered car.

How do electric cars work?

Electric cars use one or more electric motors for power. These motors receive electricity from a battery pack, usually of a large capacity, thats recharged from an external source by plugging in.

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Guide to electric vehicles 2024

Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly commonplace, but can still create questions no matter how much research youve carried out. From explaining EV basics to in-depth guides, the pages in this electric vehicles guide will cover everything you need to know when looking at and owning an EV be it car, van or motorcycle.

EVs explained

Our guide to electric vehicles, covering the basics for anyone wanting to find out more about EVs. We look at pure-EVs and PHEVs, explaining the pros & cons of each.

EVs explained

EV benefits

Electric vehicles provide a number of benefits over conventional petrol and diesel models. Cheaper running costs, a responsive drive, and high-tech vehicles are just some of the features EVs offer.

EV Benefits

EV buying guide

There are a large number of EVs available to buyers, with many more on their way. Here we explain what you should look at when deciding on an EV, such as considering driving range, price and charging.

EV buying guide

EV charging guides

Weve created a number of EV charging guides for the UKs best-selling electric vehicles. The guides cover all aspects of charging an EV, including vehicle range, charging inlets, times, costs and how to charge each model.

EV charging guides

EV subscription services

From subscribing to an electric car to leasing or renting one, this guide provides an overview of some the best ways to find an electric vehicle that works for you.

EV subscription

EV salary sacrifice

This guide provides an overview ofelectric car salary sacrifice schemes,plus what EV salary sacrifice entails, how it works, and what the benefits are for both employees and employers.

EV salary sacrifice

Top 10 best value EVs

There are many different ways to look at value-for-money, but this guide tells you how much it costs to buy a mile of range in an EV. We rank EVs available in the UK by comparing official range with purchase price.

Best value EVs

Electric vans

The electric van market has expanded rapidly, with a large selection of pure-EV models available. Having long been ideal for last-mile deliveries, improving ranges and increased payloads mean electric vans will now suit a number of businesses.

Electric vans

Electric motorcycles

Electric motorbikes offer many of the benefits of conventional motorcycles, but are simpler to ride, easy to charge, and offer a good range for most uses. Our guide lets you know what to look out for, and which electric motorcycles are available on our map filters.

Electric motorcycles

EV insurance

Car, van, and motorcycle insurance is essential no matter whether they are electric or not. Here we explain the differences and similarities of vehicle insurance, looking at what you need to consider with an EV.

Electric Car Insurance

EV FAQs

Covering your frequently asked questions about electric vehicles, including how they drive, what benefits they bring, and what costs they come with.

EV FAQs

Top 6 Electric Vehicle books you must read if you are an EV Enthusiast

If you are a lover of electric vehicles and share the same craze for them as we at EV Duniya do, then you are going to love this blog. EV Duniya has come up with an amazing list of electric vehicle books that would provide a delightful read to anyone who is interested in electric vehicles.

These top 6 must read books for any EV enthusiast offer a great way to plug into the body of work, journey to inventions, motivating life stories of prominent names in the world of electric vehicles, both from past and present. Get wired with the knowledge of how did it all start and what exactly is going on.

Check out this list of top 6 electric vehicle books that any EV enthusiast must read:

1. Elon Musk | Author: Ashlee Vance
2. My Inventions | Author: Nikola Tesla
3. The Electric Vehicle Conversion Handbook | Author: Mark J. Warner
4. Electric & Hybrid Vehicles | Author: A.K.Babu
5. DIY Lithium Batteries | Author: Micah Toll
6. Its Not About The Bike | Author: Lance Armstrong

1. Elon Musk: How the Billionaire CEO of SpaceX and Tesla is Shaping our Future

This book is all you need to know about the formation and growth of the two companies mentioned in the title. Along with that, it is basically Musk in a book. You cant not know about Musk if you are an EV lover. He is the co-founder of Tesla Motors, a world-renowned electric vehicle manufacturer and clean energy company, and founder of SpaceX, which aims to reduce the cost of space transportation. Read about the inspiration behind the Iron man series and his inventions in this book, brilliantly written by Ashlee Vance

Elon Musk | Author: Ashlee Vance

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About the author: Ashlee Vance is an American business columnist and author. He is a technology reporter and an award-winning feature writer with Bloomberg BusinessWeek Magazine and has worked with The Economist and The New York Times.

2. My Inventions: The Autobiography of Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla(1857-1943) was the revolutionary scientist who made major inventions and discoveries in the fields of electricity and magnetism. The legendary visionary has a long list of inventions under his name, including the radio, wireless energy, robotics, and much more.

Teslas autobiography, My Inventions provides information about his life and the various myths related to it, discusses his major discoveries and innovations like the magnifying transmitter, the Tesla coil, and the rotation field.

My Inventions by Nikola Tesla

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Read about the mindset and process that goes before inventing the genius of his times in this autobiography. The book teleports the reader to the Industrial Age and its most tragic thinkers aberrant life, making it an ideal read for historians, scientists, striving inventors, and science lovers.

3. The Electric Vehicle Conversion Handbook

You can totally turn your or any petrol or diesel-powered vehicle into an electric vehicle! Sounds difficult or even impossible? Well, this book by Mark J. Warner makes it quite easy for you to do that actually. This book is a complete guide on how to transform an internal combustion-powered vehicle into an EV. It also discusses the advantages of an EV, basic EV operations, their subsystems and components, customization, repair, and maintenance of vehicles.

The Electric Vehicle Conversion Handbook | Mark Warner

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About the author: Mark J. Warner is a recognized wellness author, a public speaker, a private-industry consultant and an award winning teacher.

4. Electric & Hybrid Vehicles

This book by A.K. Babu is a good read for students pursuing Automobile Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. It will help you to understand the fundamentals of electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) and will give you a good head-start in the field.

There are chapters in this book that discuss alternative vehicles with different power trains which are compared in terms of lifetime cost, fuel consumption, and environmental impact. The book reviews the excellence of the current models of hybrid and electric vehicles along with the powertrain solutions used by the major automakers. Other topics included are performance, cost, safety, configuration, control strategy and sustainability of battery systems for electric vehicles (EVs), including nickel-metal hydride batteries and Li-ion batteries.

Electric & Hybrid Vehicles | A.K.Babu | Electric Vehicle Books

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About the Author: A.K.Babu holds a M.E. degree in Automobile Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology (MIT), Anna University, with an experience of 18 years in teaching, research and industry. He has also served in other countries like Malaysia, Ethiopia and Eritrea. He is actively engaged in research on alternative fuels for Internal Combustion Engines.

5. DIY Lithium Batteries: How to Build Your Own Battery Packs

As the title suggests, this Amazons Best Selling book tells you everything about DIY lithium batteries. Written with love by Micah Toll, this book covers everything from a background on all the different types of lithium battery cells, to theory on pack design and connection methods. The contents of the book include a vast variety of topics like Sourcing lithium battery cells, Cell ratings, battery layouts along with construction methods, Charging lithium batteries, Increasing cycle life, Disposing of old lithium batteries and a lot more.

DIY Lithium Batteries | Micah Toll

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About the author: Micah Toll is a mechanical engineer by qualification and a complete electric vehicle enthusiast, battery nerd. His other bestselling books are DIY Solar Power, The Ultimate DIY Ebike Guide and Electric Motorcycles 2019.

6. Its Not About The Bike: My Journey Back to Life

This book is not exactly about EVs but we have included it in our list as it will give you all the motivation you need. The motivation to stay fit, to never give up, and to come back stronger from even impossibly difficult situations. Lance Armstrong shows immense power of human spirit and it is inspiring to read his story of getting diagnosed with life threatening cancer, everybody losing hope but him and how he fought everything that went against him and showed that world how to win!

Its Not About The Bike | Lance Armstrong

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About the author: Lance Armstrong was born on September 18, 1971 in Plano, Texas, U.S., he was an American cyclist, who was the only rider to win seven Tour de France titles (19992005).

We are quite sure the Electric Vehicle Books we have listed here will motivate & boost your journey towards EV studies.

Please do let us know if you come across any other interesting books on EVs. Ultimately, we are all here to learn and grow together!

EV Duniya Editorial: This article is written by Sanchita Saha