EV dictionary: A beginner’s guide to electric car terms and their meanings

Can’t tell your kWh from your CCS or an HEV from a heat pump? Let our comprehensive guide clear up the confusion around the most common EV terms.

The world of electric cars is an exciting one, bringing new technology and possibilities to our roads.

However, it can also be a confusing one, with a lot of new jargon to get your head around. While early adopters have got to grips with a host of new words and phrases, for the EV beginner it can seem daunting, so we’ve put together a glossary of the most common EV terms to help clear things up.

AC and DC

Different types of energy flow, most commonly used in EV spheres to relate to charging. AC refers to alternating current, as used in domestic and business energy supplies. This provides slower charging – up to 43kW. DC refers to direct current and is the method used at faster public chargers – from 30kW to 400kW and beyond.

BEV

Battery electric vehicle. A car, van or other vehicle that is powered entirely by an electric motor or series of motors, with energy supplied by an on-board battery.

CCS

Combined Charging System. The most common type of DC charging connection in Europe, allowing rapid and ultra-rapid charging.

CHAdeMO

CHArge de MOve. An older DC charging system used by early EVs such as the Nissan Leaf. Still found at some public charging stations but increasingly superseded by CCS.

Charging curve

The pattern showing how charging speeds vary over a session. Usually starts with a sharp increase before plateauing when the car reaches its peak charge capacity. Drops away once the battery reaches 80% in order to protect the battery.

Charging speed

How quickly an EV can refill its batteries. Depends on the on-board technology and the charger used:

• Slow charger: AC chargers operating at 3.7kW. Sometimes known as ‘trickle’ or ‘granny’ chargers, they usually use a three-pin plug and can take 12 hours or more to top up a battery.
• Fast charger: Used to refer to AC chargers operating at 7kW to 43kW. Covers home chargers (almost all 7kW) and the sort of ‘destination’ chargers often found at hotels, supermarkets and visitor attractions. Charging times vary from around 90 minutes at the fastest to around 8 hours on a home charger.
• Rapid charger: A DC charger offering charging rates of 43kW to 100kW.
• Ultra-rapid charger: Devices providing charging rates above 100kW. Found at ‘en-route’ locations such as motorway services and charging hubs, these can add 70% charge in as little as 15 minutes. Any EV can connect to an ultra-rapid charger but the maximum speed is dictated by the car’s capability – some EVs are limited to 50kW or 100kW charging.

CPO

Charge point operator. The various companies responsible for installing and operating public charging devices.

Degradation

How much capacity a battery loses over time, reducing its maximum range. The latest data suggests modern EVs lose around 1% capacity per year.

FCEV

Fuel cell electric vehicle. A vehicle that uses a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity which then powers a motor like a BEV.

Frunk

Front trunk (or boot, if you’re British). A small additional under-bonnet storage area. Useful for storing charging cables.

Ghost charging

The unpopular act of plugging in your EV but not charging, usually to avoid parking charges or to get a good parking spot.

Grazing

The practice of topping up charge little and often, usually while doing other things rather than planning specific longer stops just to charge.

Heat pump

A system that uses waste heat from an EV’s battery and other electrical systems to help warm the interior. More efficient than a traditional fan blower system and can double as a warming/cooling aid for the battery to optimise efficiency even in extreme temperatures.

HEV

Hybrid electric vehicle. Vehicles driven by a combustion engine that is supplemented with an electric motor and small battery to reduce load on the engine and provide some small electric-only driving range. Rely on energy from the engine and braking regen to charge the battery.

Hypermiling

Driving in a particularly efficient way to maximise an EV’s range. This usually involves driving more slowly than normal, turning off auxiliary functions and sometimes slipstreaming other vehicles to reduce wind resistance.

ICE

Internal combustion engines used in petrol and diesel cars.

ICEd

When a charger is blocked – deliberately or accidentally – by a petrol or diesel car.

Kerbside charger

Sometimes referred to as on-street chargers, these are public chargers located at the side of residential streets. Intended for drivers who don’t have off-street parking or private charging, they are sometimes standalone units and sometimes built into other street furniture such as lampposts. Usually offer fast AC charging between 7kW and 22kW for overnight top-ups.

kW

A unit of power. Most often used when referring to chargers and their speed, but also sometimes to define the power of an EV’s motor. In charging terms, a bigger kW number means a faster charge. In motor terms, a bigger number means a more powerful car.

kWh

A unit of measurement for energy. Most commonly used in EV spheres to measure an electric car’s battery capacity. More kWh means a bigger battery, which usually means more range.

LEZ/ULEZ

Low emissions zone or ultra low emissions zone. Parts of a city where certain heavy-polluting vehicles are not allowed. Don’t apply to EVs.

Li-ion

Lithium-ion. One of the most common types of battery chemistry in EVs. Also used in phones, laptops and other mobile devices.

LFP

Lithium phosphate battery chemistry. A cheaper and more durable battery chemistry than NMC li-ion (see below). Becoming more common, especially in lower-priced EVs. They use fewer rare earth metals than NMC but are less energy dense and charging speeds are more temperature-sensitive.

MHEV

Mild hybrid. Uses a tiny battery and motor to reduce load on the engine and help stop/start systems. Offers no EV-only driving ability.

Miles per kWh

Like miles per gallon for a petrol car, miles per kWh is a simple measure of an EV’s efficiency – how far it will travel on a single kWh of electricity. The higher the m/kWh, the more efficient a car is. Some manufacturers quote kWh/100km or other measures, which can be converted to m/kWh using an online tool.

NMC

A specific type of li-ion battery commonly used in EVs. Stands for nickel, manganese and cobalt – the three main metals used in their construction. Offers better energy density than LFP, faster charging speeds and is less vulnerable to temperature changes. However, uses expensive and hard-to-obtain metals, which makes it more expensive and more environmentally harmful.

One-pedal driving

A feature that activates regenerative braking when pressure is removed from the throttle. Allows the driver to use a single pedal for acceleration and braking in most circumstances.

PHEV

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Like HEVs, PHEVs are predominantly driven by a petrol or diesel engine but use an electric motor to supplement this. PHEV electric motors are usually more powerful than HEV ones and can drive longer and faster than in an HEV. They also use far larger batteries which can be charged via a home or public charger and allow for electric-only ranges of up to 50 miles.

Plug-and-charge

An increasingly common technology that allows EVs and public chargers to communicate and activate a charge without having to present a charge card or use an app. Once the system is set up, a driver simply pulls up to a charger, connects the cable and leaves the car to start charging.

Pre-conditioning

Heating or cooling an EV before the start of a journey, usually via a remote app. Handy for warming the car up in winter or cooling it down in summer while it’s still connected to a charger, rather than eating into the battery while on the move.

Quadricycle

Tiny vehicles such as the Citroen Ami and Mobilize Duo which conform to the L7 regulations on weight and speed. Don’t have the performance or safety of ‘proper’ EVs but are seen as a useful midpoint for electric urban mobility.

Range

How far an electric vehicle will travel on a single charge of its battery.

Real-world range

How far an EV will actually travel in day-to-day use. Varies depending on numerous factors including weather, driving style and speed. Usually between 10% and 30% lower than the WLTP figure (see below).

Regenerative braking

System that allows EVs to harvest energy when slowing or stopping. Essentially turns the motor into a generator that feeds electricity back into the battery. Some models offer just one level while others offer up to five settings.

RFID card

A ‘contactless’ credit card-type card used to pay for charging at some public devices.

Smart charging

Integrated system that uses a smart home energy meter, charger and connected app to charge an EV when energy is cheapest. Often allows charging schedules, targets and exceptions to be defined by the user. More advanced systems may allow dynamic charging which can react to grid supply and demand to charge at lower costs or when energy is ‘greener’.

State of charge

How full or empty an EV’s battery is. Usually indicated as a percentage on the instrument display.

Supercharger

Tesla’s own network of ultra-rapid public chargers, offering up to 250kW. Most are reserved exclusively for Tesla drivers but a growing number are being opened up to all other makes of EVs.

Type 2 cable

The standard charging cable used for AC charging.

V2L

Vehicle-to-load. Describes the two-way charging ability of some EVs. V2L allows small appliances such as laptops, kettles and lights to be powered from the car’s drive battery via either a charge port adaptor on on-board three-pin socket.

V2G

Vehicle-to-grid. Less common than V2L, this allows energy from a car’s battery to be returned to the main grid or to an in-home battery system via a special home charger. It can help balance energy demand and even make money by selling energy back to the grid at times of high demand.

Wallbox

A dedicated home charger for an EV. So-called because they’re usually mounted to the exterior wall of a house.

WLTP

Worldwide Harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure. The official test used to determine the range and efficiency of all EVs sold in Europe. More accurate than the older NEDC test but still very difficult to achieve in everyday use (see real-world range).

ZEV

Zero emissions vehicle. Sometimes used as an alternative term for EVs but also covers other propulsion systems such as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEV).