Electric rail vehicles can receive power from varying types of sources. One example is the electric vehicles that draw current from an overhead wire, via a connection known as pantograph. The other example would be those powered by an onboard battery. Finally, there are also diesel-electric vehicles, featuring an internal combustion engine (the so called “prime mover”), which generates electric current onboard the locomotive. While their visual and auditory presence may be vastly different from one another, electric and diesel-electric vehicles both use traction motors for propulsion, powered by electricity.
There are a few types of {{pll|Rail Vehicle Types|motorized rail vehicles}} with electric {{pll|Powertrains Overview|powertrains}}, depending on how they get {{pll|Electricity|electrical power}}:
