Clean Green Cars: Greenlings: What's the difference between AC and DC? Which is better for electric cars?

Greenlings: What's the difference between AC and DC? Which is better for electric cars?

Tesla Roadster with AC drive unit - Click above for high-res image gallery

AC/DC? We’re not referring to the classic rock band; we’re taking a look at electric motors. In today’s Greenlings post, we’ll delve into the ins and outs of the powerplants that we hope will soon be transporting millions of people around the world to and fro. That said, there are lots of choices when it comes to selecting the proper motor for any given application, and the merits of each has been debated since before any of us were born.

Way back in the late 1880s, Nikola Tesla dared to challenge powerhouse American inventor Thomas Edison by suggesting Alternating Current (AC) was a more desirable method to transfer electricity from one place to another than Direct Current (DC). So, which genius inventor was right? Suffice it to say that just about everything with a plug these days relies on AC current for power. But that was a long time ago, what’s changed since then? Which is better for today’s - and tomorrow’s - electric cars?

Gallery: First Drive: Tesla Roadster