Abstract:The state of the art of battery electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles was reviewed. These three types of electric vehicles are presently at different stages of development, facing different challenges and require different strategies. However, they have common engineering philosophy and core technologies, such as advanced motor drive technology, energy resources, energy control and management, chassis and body, etc. The challenges of commercialization of three types of electric vehicles were summarized in the end of the paper.