I have no intention of making a hybrid car, but I am interested in EV design. I may make a an electric go-kart or bicycle in the near future, but I just want to talk theory.
What is a good way of powering an EV?
First; DC or AC motor? The Toyota Prius uses 3-phase AC power. The conversion of DC power from a battery to spin an AC motor seems more draining, am I wrong? A 3-phase AC motor would be much smaller with less copper than a DC motor of equivalent size, but will power be lost in heat?