An engine is a machine that burns fuel and converts it into mechanical power. Most modern vehicles use internal combustion engines (ICE), which ignite fuel and use the reaction to move mechanical parts. ICE engines burn gasoline or diesel fuel to drive pistons up and down, turning the crankshaft and eventually moving the vehicle’s wheels. Technicians measure engines by the number of cylinders and the volume of those cylinders. For instance, a 350 V8 is an engine with eight cylinders arranged in a V formation, displacing 350 cubic inches.
It’s not uncommon to hear someone refer to the engine in their electric car, but EVs do not have engines; they have motors. Motors are machines that convert electrical energy into motion.
