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EV Dictionary

Learn what all the complex terms mean in the EV world 

Charging

AC (Alternating Current)

  • The standard electricity supplied by the national grid and domestic sockets. AC charging requires the car's onboard charger to convert the power into DC before it can enter the battery.

    • DC (Direct Current)

  • High-power electricity used by rapid and ultra-rapid public chargers. DC power bypasses the car's onboard charger and goes straight into the battery pack for much faster charging.

    • CCS (Combined Charing System)

  • The most common European and UK standard plug type that combines AC charging pins with high-power DC rapid charging pins into a single port.

    • Type 2 Connector

  • The standard 7-pin plug used across the UK and Europe for AC home charging and public destination charging. This category covers AC connectors and CCS connectors.

    • CHAdeMO

    A DC rapid charging standard developed in Japan, featuring a bulky round plug. It is primarily found on older Japanese EVs, such as early Nissan Leafs, and is gradually being phased out in favor of CCS.

    Destination Charger

  • Typically slower AC public chargers (7kW to 22kW) installed at locations where cars are parked for extended periods, such as hotels, car parks, and supermarkets.

    • Tethered vs. Untethered

    A tethered home or public charger has a charging cable permanently attached to the charger. An untethered unit requires you to plug your own charging cable into both the charger and the car.

    Batteries

    BMS (Battery Management System)

  • The central computer that monitors individual battery cell voltages, temperatures, and current flow to ensure safety, efficiency, and longevity for the battery.

    • Electrolyte

  • The liquid, gel, or solid material that the lithium ions move in between the anode and cathode during charge and discharge cycles. This movement is what creates the current to power the car

    • LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate)

  • Known for lower production costs, high thermal stability, and exceptional durability. LFP batteries can frequently be charged to 100% without much degradation.

    • NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) 

    High-energy-density batteries commonly used in long-range electric vehicles to maximise range in a compact footprint.

    Solid-State Battery

  • An new battery technology still in the development phase that replaces liquid electrolytes with solid materials, promising significantly faster charging speeds, higher energy density, and much better safety.

    • Thermal Management System (TMS)

    A cooling or heating system that actively maintains the battery pack at its optimal operating temperature during extreme weather or fast charging.

    Battery Preconditioning

    When the car uses its Thermal Management System to prepare the battery for charging. This is especially useful in exteme-cold weather or if the battery is under extreme loads. However, it doesn't necessarily improve charging time, and different EVs will have different preconditioning capabilities.

    Kilowatt-hour (kWh)

    Battery capacity is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), representing the amount of energy the battery can store.

    Voltage

    The voltage of EV batteries can range from a few hundred volts to 800 volts found a lot of high-end, modern EVs. The more volts in the electrical system, the faster the car can charge.

    Efficiency and Range

    WLTP

    WLTP stands for the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure. It's a lab-based test that calculates the efficiency, range, and emissions of new cars. Other tests include EPA for the US, CLTC for China, and NEDC that Europe used to use. All ranges found on the EV Hub website and YouTube channel are from WLTP tests.

    Efficiency

    The metric measuring energy consumption. Shown as either the miles per kilowatt-hour (mi/kWh) or watt-hours per mile (Wh/mi), serving as the electric equivalent of miles per gallon (MPG).

    Drag Coefficient (Cd)

    A measure of how efficiently a vehicle cuts through the air. Lower drag coefficients reduce air resistance, directly improving high-speed efficiency and range. This is the reason why some EVs (partically earlier models) are incredibly smooth and computer-mouse-shaped.

    Heat Pumps

    An energy-efficient heating system that takes heat from the air or drivetrain to warm the cabin, preserving range, especially in winter, much better than a traditional heater.

    Range Anxiety

    An older term used when EVs had much lower ranges and there were much fewer charging station than today to describe the feeling of running of range far from a charger.

    Performance & Driving

    Regenerative Braking 

    Regenerative braking allows EVs to recapture kinetic energy during deceleration and convert it back into electrical enegy to charge up the battery. 

    Kilowatts (kW)

  • Kilowatts can either be used to measure the power of an electrical motor, or the power of an EV charger. In terms of motor power, 1 kW is roughly equivalent to 1.34 horsepower.

    • Instant Torque

  • EV motors have no lag or latency between pressing the accelerator and turning the wheels because the two are directly connected with wires. It means EVs can have some crazy acceleration!

    • Torque Vectoring

  • An advanced control system found mostly on performance EVs that independently varies torque delivery to individual wheels to sharpen cornering ability, improve traction, and enhance stability in slippery conditions. It also allows the Mercedes G580 Electric and the quad-motor Rivian R1T and R1S to perform turns on the spot.

    • Single-Speed Transmission

    Most electric vehicles use a single-fixed-gear transmission because electric motors operate efficiently across an exceptionally wide RPM range, rendering multi-speed gearboxes unnecessary. However, some dual-speed automatic transmissions have started to surface in the Audi e-tron GT, and Mercedes CLA Electric, and more for better motorway efficiency.

    One-Pedal Driving

    Usually a driving mode with aggressive regenerative braking where lifting off the accelerator causes the electric motor to decelerate the vehicle smoothly to a complete stop without needing to touch the brake pedal. 

    Other

    Vehicle-to-Load (V2L)

  • When an EV uses its high-voltage battery to supply mains AC electricity to power external tools, household appliances, or camping equipment.

    • Over-The-Air (OTA) Updates

    Software updates to the car transmitted to the vehicle over cellular networks, allowing manufacturers to update your car with bug fixes, software improvements, map updates, and performance enhancements remotely.