A simple guide to all the terms used in the world of electric vehicles.
If you're new to the world of electric vehicles (EVs), you're probably excited about the idea of driving a car that's eco-friendly, cost-effective, and packed with the latest technology. But as you dive deeper into the EV landscape, you might find yourself tripping over a few confusing terms—like kWh, range anxiety, or regenerative braking. Don’t worry; you’re not alone!
The good news is that understanding these terms is easier than you think. In this blog, we'll break down the most common EV jargon into simple, bite-sized explanations. By the end, you'll be speaking the language of EVs like a pro and feeling more confident about your journey into the future of driving.
Drivetrain: overall term that combines the engine and gearbox combination that moves the car.
EV or BEV: Electric Vehicle and Battery Electric Vehicle. Any vehicle where the only power to the motor comes from the onboard high voltage battery.
ICE: Internal Combustion Engine. Any vehicle that produces power by burning fuel to power the motor. This can be petrol, diesel, liquid petroleum gas, or is some cases hydrogen.
Hybrid: A general term that describes a vehicle that uses a combination of an electric and fuel burning drivetrain to reduce emissions.
MHEV: Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle - hybrid that uses the engine to charge a small battery and has a limited electric motor to help drive the vehicle. A good example of this is the Toyota Prius.
PHEV: Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle - a hybrid that has a larger battery and motor than a MHEV. Can be driven further distances on its electric drivetrain, and is designed to be charged like an electric vehicle to make the most of the electric motor.
kWh (Kilowatt-Hour): A unit of energy that measures the capacity of an EV battery or the amount of energy used. It's crucial for understanding how far an EV can travel on a single charge.
Gross kWh/Net kWh: the difference between the total capacity of the vehicle’s battery. For example, an EV might have a gross capacity of 80 kWh, but only 75 kWh might be usable (net capacity) to power the car, with the remaining 5 kWh reserved for battery management. This difference is used to help protect the battery and increase its life.
Range: The distance an EV can travel on a fully charged battery. It's often the first thing potential EV buyers look at. See also WLTP
Regenerative Braking: A system that recovers energy typically lost during braking and uses it to recharge the battery, extending the vehicle's range. This can be adjusted in most cars to suit the type of driving.
Charging Station: A location where EVs can be recharged. They vary in type, from home chargers to fast chargers found at service stations or other public places.
Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast Charging: Different levels of charging speeds. Level 1 is the slowest (using a standard household outlet), Level 2 is faster (like those found at public charging stations or installed at home), and DC Fast Charging is the fastest, typically used for long-distance travel.
State of Charge (SoC): The current level of charge in an EV’s battery, usually expressed as a percentage. Similar to the fuel gauge in a traditional car.
V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid): A technology that allows EVs to return electricity to the grid, helping to balance supply and demand or provide backup power.
Charging Network: A system of charging stations provided by companies like Tesla (Supercharger network), ChargePoint, Osprey, offering EV drivers access to public chargers.
ZapMap: A UK-wide map of electric car charging points that helps electric car drivers locate and navigate to their nearest EV charging point.
Kilowatts (kW): A measure of power output or consumption. In EVs, it can describe the power of the motor or the rate of energy transfer during charging. Similar to the use of BHP (brake horsepower) in traditional engines. 1 kW is equivalent to 1.34 BHP
EVSE: Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment. The hardware that delivers electrical energy to charge an EV. It includes everything from home chargers to public charging stations.
DNO: Distribution Network Operator – see our article for more information.
WLTP: Test protocols used to estimate the range and efficiency of EVs. This isn’t always the actual range achievable and actual range will vary by conditions and the drive. While not accurate in real world conditions, this helps compare cars on a level playing field.
Miles per kilowatt-hour (miles/kWh): A measure of an electric vehicle's (EV's) efficiency, indicating how many miles the vehicle can travel on one kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity. It is similar to miles per gallon (MPG) for gasoline vehicles but applies to electric power.
CT clamp: Current Transformer clamp - a device used to measure electrical current flowing through a conductor without directly connecting to the circuit. It’s used with a home charger for load management and balancing to make sure the charger isn’t overloading the mains supply.
