What Are Combustion Cars Called?

They are most commonly called internal combustion engine vehicles—abbreviated as ICE vehicles (ICEVs) or “ICE cars.” Depending on region and fuel type, people also say gas-powered cars (U.S./Canada), petrol cars (U.K./Commonwealth), and diesel cars. The label refers to vehicles propelled by burning fuel inside an engine, in contrast to fully electric vehicles, and is widely used in industry, media, and policy discussions.

Core terminology and how it’s used

In transportation reporting and regulatory language, several overlapping terms describe vehicles that burn fuel to create mechanical power. The nuances can signal fuel type, regional phrasing, or context (technical, consumer, or policy).

• Internal combustion engine (ICE): The engine type that burns fuel (e.g., gasoline/petrol, diesel) inside cylinders to create power.
• ICE vehicle (ICEV) or ICE car: The standard technical shorthand for a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine.
• Gas-powered car / gas car: Common in North America for gasoline-fueled vehicles; “gas” here usually means gasoline, not natural gas.
• Petrol car: Common in the U.K. and many Commonwealth countries for gasoline-fueled vehicles.
• Diesel car: Specifies diesel as the fuel; still an ICE vehicle.
• Conventional car / traditional car: Colloquial terms contrasting with newer EVs; still refers to ICE vehicles.
• Fossil-fuel car: Often used in environmental or policy contexts to emphasize fuel origin; technically still an ICE vehicle if it burns petroleum-based fuels.
• Non-electric car: A comparative label used in consumer communications; typically implies ICE, though it can also include some hybrids.

Taken together, these terms all point to the same fundamental idea: the vehicle’s primary propulsion comes from burning fuel in an engine, rather than using a battery-electric drivetrain.

What counts as a “combustion car”?

Strictly speaking, any vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine falls under the combustion-car umbrella, though everyday usage sometimes narrows the term to exclude plug-in models. Here are the main categories you’ll see:

• ICE-only vehicles: Powered solely by gasoline/petrol or diesel, with no electric propulsion.
• Flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs): Can run on higher-ethanol blends such as E85; still ICE vehicles.
• Compressed or liquefied natural gas (CNG/LNG) vehicles: Burn natural gas in an ICE; used in some fleets and markets.
• LPG/Autogas vehicles: Use liquefied petroleum gas; also ICE-powered.
• Mild hybrids (MHEVs) and conventional hybrids (HEVs): Include an ICE plus a small electric system to assist; the engine remains central to propulsion.
• Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs): Have both an ICE and a larger battery that can be charged; still include a combustion engine even if some miles are electric.
• Range-extender EVs (rare): Primarily electric drive with a small onboard combustion generator (e.g., some versions historically like the BMW i3 REx); whether these are called “combustion cars” depends on context, but they do include an ICE.

In consumer and policy conversation, “ICE car” often means a non-plug-in gasoline or diesel vehicle. In technical discussions, hybrids and range-extender models may still be grouped under “vehicles with ICE.”

Regional wording and common variations

Language for combustion cars varies by country and fuel naming conventions. Understanding these differences can clarify headlines and policy documents from different markets.

• United States/Canada: “Gas car” or “gas-powered car” usually means gasoline (petrol), not natural gas, unless specified as CNG/LNG.
• United Kingdom/Many Commonwealth countries: “Petrol car” denotes gasoline-fueled ICE vehicles; “diesel” is used explicitly for diesel models.
• Germany: “Benziner” (gasoline car) and “Diesel” are common distinctions.
• France: “Essence” (gasoline) and “Diesel” mark the fuel type.
• Spain: “Gasolina” (gasoline) and “Diésel” identify the fuel; similar patterns appear across Europe (e.g., Italy: “benzina” and “diesel”).

Despite the different labels, these all refer to vehicles that burn fuel in an internal combustion engine to generate power.

How the term contrasts with alternative powertrains

“Combustion car” is often used in contrast to electric drivetrains that avoid onboard fuel combustion.

• Battery electric vehicle (BEV): Fully electric, no internal combustion engine.
• Fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV): Generates electricity from hydrogen in a fuel cell; no ICE.
• E-fuel/synthetic-fuel ICE vehicles: Still ICE vehicles, but fueled by synthetic hydrocarbons; not the same as BEVs or FCEVs.

These distinctions matter for emissions, regulations, incentives, and consumer operating costs, which increasingly differ by powertrain type.

Industry and policy usage

Automakers, regulators, and analysts rely on the “ICE” label in market reporting and rulemaking. For example, policy discussions frequently reference “ICE phase-outs” or “ICE bans” for new car sales—shorthand for targets that shift markets toward zero-emission vehicles over time (e.g., the European Union’s 2035 target for new light-duty vehicle CO₂ to reach effectively zero, California’s Advanced Clean Cars II requiring 100% ZEV sales by 2035, and similar timelines in the U.K. and Canada). While details and carve-outs vary—such as provisions for synthetic fuels or specific vehicle classes—the term “ICE” remains the standard anchor for combustion-powered models in these frameworks.

Summary

Combustion cars are commonly called internal combustion engine vehicles—ICE vehicles or ICE cars—with everyday variants like gas-powered, petrol, or diesel cars depending on region and fuel. The label generally covers everything from traditional gasoline and diesel models to hybrids that still rely on an engine. In media, industry, and policy, “ICE” serves as the concise counterpart to fully electric vehicles and is central to how markets track the transition to alternative powertrains.

What are gas vehicles called?

Gas cars are most commonly called Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles or conventional gas vehicles because they use a gasoline- or diesel-fueled internal combustion engine to power the drivetrain. They are also simply referred to as gasoline cars, petrol cars, or by the less common term “gas burners”. 
Technical terms

• Internal Combustion Engine (ICE): Opens in new tabThis is the technical term for the engine that powers most gasoline and diesel cars by burning fuel to create power. 
• Conventional vehicle: Opens in new tabThis term distinguishes them from electric, hybrid, and other types of vehicles that are powered differently. 

Common names

• Gas car/Gasoline car: Opens in new tabThese terms are widely used, especially in the United States, to refer to a car that runs on gasoline. 
• Petrol car/Petrol vehicle: Opens in new tabIn many countries, “petrol” is the common term for gasoline, making “petrol car” a standard term for the same type of vehicle. 

Other related terms

• Flex-Fuel Vehicle (FFV): Opens in new tabA type of gas car that can run on different combinations of fuels, such as gasoline and ethanol blends. 
• Internal Combustion Engine Vehicle (ICEV): Opens in new tabAnother term for a gas or diesel-powered car that highlights the engine type. 

What are combustion engine vehicles?

Internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) is a vehicle that is powered by a regular internal combustion engine (ICE). ICEV uses fuel which combusts inside a combustion chamber with the help of an oxidizer (typically oxygen from the air).

What is the opposite of EV?

The opposite of an “EV” (Electric Vehicle) is an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicle, which is a traditional vehicle powered by gasoline or diesel fuel. While EVs run on electricity from batteries, ICE vehicles burn fossil fuels in an engine to generate power. 
Here’s a breakdown of the opposition:

• EV (Electric Vehicle): Opens in new tabA vehicle that uses electricity stored in a battery to power an electric motor. 
• ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) Vehicle: Opens in new tabA conventional vehicle that uses an engine to burn gasoline or diesel fuel, producing its own power internally. 

Other terms that represent the opposite of an electric vehicle include:

• Fossil fuel car: An alternative term for an ICE vehicle, highlighting its power source. 
• Gas-powered car: A common phrase that refers to vehicles running on gasoline. 

What is another name for a combustion engine?

An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit.