Electric Vehicles as Integrated Energy, Mobility and Digital Systems: A Critical Review of Technologies, Infrastructure and Emerging Trends

Pradeepkumar M

doi:10.34256/famr2611

Pradeepkumar M Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sri Shakthi Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

Keywords: Battery Management, Charging Infrastructure, Electric Vehicle, Lifecycle Assessment, Power Electronics, Smart Charging, Vehicle-To-Grid

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) are transitioning from stand-alone propulsion products into integrated mobility, energy and digital platforms. This review critically examines the technological foundations and emerging trajectories of battery-electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles, with emphasis on traction batteries, electric machines, power electronics, thermal management, charging infrastructure, grid interaction, connected control, lifecycle sustainability and policy constraints. Global electric-car sales exceeded 17 million in 2024, representing more than one-fifth of new-car sales, but adoption remains geographically uneven and is increasingly limited by charging access, affordability, grid capacity and supply-chain resilience rather than by propulsion feasibility alone. Lithium iron phosphate and nickel-rich layered oxides currently dominate battery-electric vehicles through different cost-energy-safety trade-offs, while sodium-ion and solid-state systems target specific future niches. Fast charging is shifting toward higher-voltage vehicle architectures and higher-power stations, although charging speed remains constrained by lithium plating, heat generation, cell imbalance and local grid demand. Battery-management and thermal-management systems are becoming predictive, cloud-connected and data-driven, but require robust validation, cybersecurity and standardised state-of-health metrics. Smart charging and bidirectional vehicle-to-grid operation can provide grid flexibility, yet battery degradation, interoperability, market rules and user participation remain unresolved. Lifecycle assessment indicates that EV climate benefits depend on electricity mix, vehicle size, battery production and lifetime utilisation; therefore, material efficiency, renewable charging, second-life use and high-yield recycling are essential. The review proposes a co-design framework linking vehicle efficiency, battery durability, charging convenience, grid services and circularity. Future progress will depend on scalable low-cost chemistries, interoperable charging standards, low-carbon manufacturing, safer automation and policy mechanisms that make electrification accessible beyond premium passenger cars.

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