Final answer:
A vehicle's electrical energy is stored in the battery, which powers the ignition system and other electrical components. The ignition coil in the ignition system is capable of generating high voltages necessary for the spark plug to ignite the fuel-air mixture. Furthermore, in electric and hybrid vehicles, regenerative braking helps recharge the battery during driving.
Step-by-step explanation:
A vehicle's electrical energy is stored in the battery. The battery is a critical component in an automobile's electrical system, providing the necessary current for the ignition system to start the engine, and powering other electrical accessories when the engine is not running. In traditional combustion engines, the battery uses a lead-acid chemistry, with multiple cells connected in series to provide the starting power. The total voltage of the battery is determined by multiplying the potential per cell by the number of cells.
When we talk about generating large voltages from a 12-V battery, the ignition system steps up the voltage through a process called electromagnetic induction. In a car's ignition system, the ignition coil acts as an inductor; when the current is interrupted, it causes a large voltage surge which is used to generate the spark in the spark plugs. Similarly, when the current through a large inductor is interrupted, the magnetic field collapses, inducing a high voltage across the terminals, which can cause an arc.
It's also worth mentioning that in electric and hybrid vehicles, the battery not only starts the engine but also provides the power for propulsion. In these vehicles, the motor can act as a generator to recharge the battery when the car is braking, utilizing the concept of regenerative braking to convert kinetic energy back into electrical energy, which is then stored in the battery.
The type of current used in cars is direct current (DC), as this is the type of current that batteries provide and the type that most automotive electrical components are designed to use.