As we know there are various sizes and types of electric vehicles. Electric means something running on electric charge or power. In all cases container for electric power needed to propel the vehicle are batteries. Batteries are main and key component in classic electric vehicles. It’s a vehicle component with highest volume, weight and cost of course. Hybrid vehicles also got batteries for a key element with great importance. Maybe their volume is smaller, but never the less main working principles are same.

When we are talking about battery we are imagining two or sometimes more electric cells which are joined together. Battery’s main business is converting one type of energy into another type. Chemical energy is converted into electrical. The cells inside batteries are made of electrodes, positive and negative, which is joined together trough electrolyte. Same chemical reaction among electrolytes and electrodes gives or generates electricity. That’s battery’s working cycle, when they are used to propel the vehicle. When batteries are in reverse operation that state is charging state, when battery is receiving electrical energy and converts into chemical energy.

Most known type of rechargeable battery are lead acid batteries. Although this battery concept was providing large number of combinations with materials and electrolytes forming a battery, only small set of combinations have been constructed and commercially developed for practical use in vehicles. Today, those batteries are based on lead acid, nickel cadmium, lithium polymer, nickel iron, lithium iron, sodium metal chloride, sodium sulphur. Other types of batteries recently developed and used are zinc - air and aluminum-air. They can be refueled mechanically. Yet, despite all various constructions of batteries and despite the 1,5 century development margin, still there is no battery developed and constructed quite suitable to use in electric vehicles. There are no wide suitable batteries for use in most electric vehicles. They all are custom made.
In these recently years there were some announcement of important and crucial development in production of suitable batteries, providing great moving span, fast recharge and smaller weight, size and cost. Taking those revolutionary achievements into consideration there is a great possibility of electric vehicle mass production.

Specific power, energy efficiency, energy density, amp hour efficiency, typical voltages, operating temperatures, discharge rates, life cycles are terms that needs to be explained so we could understand some of the problems related to battery production. There is some environment issues related with electric vehicles and with battery chemicals and process elements. Recycling of used batteries is very important issue which has to be resolved in order to prevent negative environment impact.