As you know, electric cars work differently. This is because the mechanism with which they have been built underscores the background idea of more fuel-efficient, lower-emissions vehicles.
Instead of the internal combustion engine in in other traditional cars, all-electric vehicles (E.V.s) have an electric motor . Nevertheless, the systematic function of E.V.s engine composition still wonders many, and what to know is whether electric cars have an exhaust system.
Do electric cars have exhaust?
In short, No, Because E.V.s, otherwise known as battery electric vehicles, aren’t composed of the typical liquid fuel components as their counterparts, they run on electricity. This means that no exhaust is emitted from a tailpipe.
There is, however, a more concrete and in-depth explanation of why people think of exhaust systems in electric cars, even with the understanding that it has no fuel pump, fuel line, or fuel tank.
In the rest of this post, we will look at exhaust emission systems in automotive, their primary purpose and few varying layouts in vehicles, and whether or not electric cars need such mechanical components. A good start would be to be on the same page about an exhaust system’s role in a given vehicle.
What is an exhaust?
For a car to keep going safely and effectively as it should, there are many things responsible. Understanding these things, all of them, isn’t a walk in the park, especially if you aren’t a mechanic.
An example of these components is the exhaust emission system. A look at the under the back of every conventional vehicle, you will notice an exhaust pipe which is just a part of the vehicle’s exhaust system.
The vehicle’s exhaust system is built right from the back of the engine and runs underneath your car, ending with the tailpipe.
Cars that are not electric-powered emit fumes, an exhaust manifold collects the exhaust gases from multiple cylinders into one pipe, At this point, a device called a catalytic converter, which is integrated in the exhaust system, converts and transforms pollutant gases into less harmful ones.
Like in other engines like industrial meat grinders, this can be a very noisy process; hence the function of the noise-deadening device called the car’s silencer forming part of the exhaust system of an automobile. The proceeds of the gases are then emitted through the tailpipe of the exhaust system.
What is the main purpose of an exhaust?
The general knowledge of exhaust in vehicles is to eliminate the toxic emissions produced by the engines. However, looking at the composition of the entire exhaust system, you will see that the component does a lot more than channel harmful hydrocarbons away from the driver and passengers.
For example, it functions as a noise controller. That is why some modern, high-end fossil-fueled vehicles are quieter than others, given that they have better exhaust systems. Another critical purpose of exhaust in automotives is to enhance the engine’s performance and improve fuel consumption.
Do electric cars need exhausts?
There’s certainly no need for a fully electric car to have an exhaust system. Electric vehicles are not built with an engine that requires the expulsion of waste gases, like their traditional vehicles.
As we have seen earlier, internal combustion engines in regular vehicles have an exhaust system to cushion the effects of the thousands of controlled explosions to power the car.
In contrast, electric cars work very differently as power is stored in Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, and utilizing this power produces no waste gases.
Moreover, emissions from electric engines are expelled once the car is shut down, but this is not directly from the engine running. Hence, there is no need for a waste disposal system such as the exhaust emission mechanism.
You may want to counter this because you have seen one or two electric cars with an exhaust pipe. So, let’s look at why some electric cars have exhaust pipes.
Why do Some EV’s have an exhaust pipe?
Seeing exhaust pipes in some EVs certainly means an ornament or add-on with no actual function. A look at the rear end of many giant E.V. manufacturers shows no tailpipe whatsoever, such as Tesla.
Remember, we have seen earlier that the exhaust pipe is just the last piece of the entire emission system that directs the waste gases out and away from the vehicle.
There is, however, an explanation as to why some manufacturers fix tailpipes in full-electric vehicles. While none of them have internal combustion engines, the exhaust system or tailpipe only creates an illusion that it has an exhaust system to have a more vehicle feel.
In summary
The bottom line, Electric vehicles have no exhaust system as much as they don’t need it. The principal function of exhaust is to direct the waste gases produced by the combustion engine to a place where they can’t disturb both the driver and the passengers.
This is also to minimize noise from the combustion gases exiting the engine and provide scavenging of the exhaust gas. Since electric cars do not have this internal combustion engine, there is no emission to manage. Hence, no need for exhaust systems.
