How much energy is needed to power an electric vehicle?

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Answer 1 · 2017-03-05T16:05:28

It depends on the mass of the vehicle, how long it needs to be powered for, and what velocity it moves at.

The equation for electrical power is

#P=IV#

and, for mechanical power,

#P=E/t#

so we can say that

#E/t = IV#

or

#E = ItV = QV#

which means that the energy supply is proportional to the current, the voltage and the time for which it is supplied.

We can also use the equation for kinetic energy,

#E = 1/2mv^2#

which means that increasing mass or velocity of the vehicle requires more energy.