The Periodic Table of EV Charging

400 V and 800 V describe nominal high-voltage EV architecture families rather than one fixed battery voltage.

A/C means air conditioning, the vehicle system used to cool and dehumidify the cabin.

Also calledalternating current

AC means alternating current, an electrical current that periodically reverses direction.

AC and DC charging differ mainly in where the electrical power is converted into the DC needed by the vehicle battery.

Also calledad hoc access · ad hoc payment

Ad hoc charging lets a driver use and pay for a public charge point without having a pre-existing contract with the operator.

Also calledAlternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation · Regulation (EU) 2023/1804

AFIR is the European Union regulation setting deployment and operating requirements for publicly accessible alternative-fuels infrastructure, including EV charging.

Also calledAEC · agreed capacity for export

Agreed export capacity is the level of electrical export permitted at a customer's connection to the distribution network.

Also calledAIC · agreed capacity for import

Agreed import capacity is the maximum level of power a site's connection agreement allows it to import from the electricity distribution network.

Also calledAFV

An alternative fuel vehicle is a broad term for a vehicle using a fuel or powertrain other than a conventional petrol or diesel-only drivetrain.

Autocharge is a method of automatically identifying and authorising an EV from an identifier supplied by the vehicle, commonly its charging-interface MAC address.

Tesla Autopilot is the brand name used for a set of driver-assistance functions rather than a fully autonomous driving system.

EV charger availability describes whether an EVSE is in a state that allows a driver to use it for charging.

Also calledbattery second use

B2U means battery second use, the reuse of an EV traction battery in another application after it leaves its original vehicle role.

An EV battery stores electrical energy electrochemically and supplies DC power to the vehicle's electric drivetrain and other systems.

EV battery capacity is the amount of electrical energy a battery can store, usually stated in kilowatt-hours.

Battery cells are the individual electrochemical units that store and release electrical energy inside an EV battery pack.

Battery degradation is the gradual loss of usable energy or power capability as a battery ages through time and use.

Also calledBESS · battery storage system

A Battery Energy Storage System, or BESS, stores electrical energy in batteries so it can be used later.

A battery lease separates ownership of an EV battery from ownership of the vehicle, with the driver paying a recurring charge to use the battery.

Also calledBMS

A battery management system, or BMS, monitors and protects a battery pack while calculating the limits within which it can charge and discharge safely.

Battery preconditioning heats or cools an EV battery towards a target temperature before a demanding operating condition such as high-power charging.

Also calledBIK · company car tax

Benefit in Kind is the UK tax treatment applied when an employer provides a company car that is available for private use.

Also calledbattery electric vehicle · pure electric vehicle

A battery electric vehicle, or BEV, is propelled only by electric motors using energy stored in an onboard battery that can be charged from an external electricity supply.

Bidirectional charging allows electrical energy to flow both into an EV battery and back out through compatible charging equipment.

BS 7671 Section 722 contains the UK wiring requirements that apply specifically to supplies for electric vehicle charging installations.

Also calledBMS · Building Automation System (BAS)

A Building Management System, or BMS, is a hardware and software platform used to monitor and control a building's mechanical, electrical and other operational systems.

C-rate expresses battery charge or discharge current relative to the battery's rated charge capacity.

CAN bus is a serial communications network that lets electronic control units exchange short, prioritised messages without a central host computer.

A car club gives members short-term access to shared vehicles without requiring each user to own the car personally.

CHAdeMO is a DC fast-charging system with its own vehicle connector and communication protocol.

Also calledcharge port door · charging port cover

A charge flap is the vehicle body cover over the charging inlet.

Also calledCPO

A Charge Point Operator, or CPO, is the organisation responsible for operating EV charging infrastructure and the associated charging service.

Charging capacity is an ambiguous phrase that can refer to battery energy capacity, charger power or the electrical capacity available at a site.

An EV charging curve shows how charging power changes during a charging session.

Also calledCDR · Charge Detail Record

A Charging Detail Record, or CDR, is the final billing record for a completed EV charging session.

A charging point is a physical device used to recharge an electric vehicle.

Charging rate describes how quickly an electric vehicle receives energy, usually expressed as charging power in kilowatts or as range added per hour.

A charging station is a broad term for EV charging equipment or a location containing charging equipment.

Cheetah Stance is Tesla's name for the suspension position used during the launch sequence in Drag Strip Mode on compatible Model S vehicles.

CO2 is carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas released when carbon-containing fuels are burned.

Also calledCCS · Combo charging system

The Combined Charging System, or CCS, combines AC and DC charging around a shared vehicle inlet and a common charging architecture.

Commando socket is a common UK trade name for an IEC 60309 industrial plug and socket.

EV charger commissioning is the process of configuring, testing and verifying installed charging equipment before it is handed over for operation.

An EV charging connector is the cable-end interface that mates with the vehicle inlet to transfer electrical power and charging signals.

Connector type identifies the physical charging interface used between an EV and charging equipment.

Contactless payment lets an EV driver pay for public charging with a contactless bank card or compatible payment device without first opening an account with the Charge Point Operator.

Also calledCP · PWM control pilot

The control pilot is the basic signalling circuit between an EV and EVSE used to indicate charging state and the current the EVSE can make available for AC charging.

Cost per kWh is the price charged for each kilowatt-hour of electrical energy supplied during an EV charging session.

Also calledCharge Point Management System · EV charging back office · charging back office

A Charge Point Management System, or CPMS, is back-office software used to monitor, control and administer a network of EV charge points.

Also calledCharging Station Management System · EV charging back office · charging back office

A Charging Station Management System, or CSMS, is the backend software platform that communicates with and manages EV charging stations.

Also calledCT · CT clamp

A current transformer, or CT, measures alternating current by producing a smaller proportional signal that monitoring or control equipment can read.

Also calledCLS

A Customer Limitation Scheme is a control scheme that keeps electricity import or export at a customer's connection point within an agreed limit.

Also calledcontinuously variable transmission

A continuously variable transmission, or CVT, changes drive ratio continuously rather than stepping through a fixed set of gear ratios.

Also calledCRA · Regulation (EU) 2024/2847

The Cyber Resilience Act is the EU regulation that sets horizontal cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements placed on the European Union market.

Also calleddirect current · DC charging

DC means direct current, electricity that flows in one direction and is the form of electrical energy stored by an EV battery.

Also calledDSR · demand-side response

Demand response changes electricity consumption in response to grid, market or price signals.

Depreciation is the reduction in a vehicle's market value over time.

Also calledDistributed Energy Resource

A Distributed Energy Resource, or DER, is an energy asset connected within the distribution system rather than a large central generating plant.

Destination charging provides EV charging at places where vehicles are already parked for a longer stay.

DIN SPEC 70121 defines digital communication between a DC EV charging station and an electric vehicle for control of DC charging in the Combined Charging System.

Also calledDNO

A Distribution Network Operator, or DNO, owns, operates and maintains a regional electricity distribution network in Great Britain.

Also calledDLM · dynamic load balancing

Dynamic load management adjusts EV charging power in real time using live site measurements so the electrical supply is not overloaded.

Nissan e-Pedal is a driver-control feature that increases regenerative deceleration when the driver eases off the accelerator pedal.

Also calledextended-range electric vehicle · range-extended EV

An E-REV is an extended-range electric vehicle that is driven electrically while carrying a combustion engine to generate additional electrical energy when required.

Eco mode is a vehicle driving setting intended to reduce energy consumption by changing how selected systems respond.

Economy 7 is a multi-rate electricity tariff with a lower off-peak electricity rate for a set number of hours and a different rate outside that period.

Eichrecht is the German legal-metrology framework governing how measured quantities used for billing must be measured and presented.

Electric Highway is a UK charging-network brand associated with charging at motorway service areas and other major-road locations.

Also calledEVHS

The Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme was a UK grant that supported the cost of installing domestic electric-vehicle charging devices from 2014 to 2022.

Also callede-mobility service provider · mobility service provider · MSP

An e-mobility service provider, or eMSP, provides EV drivers with access to charging services across one or more charge point networks.

Also calledelectric vehicle

EV means electric vehicle, although the term is used differently depending on context.

Also calledElectric Vehicle Communication Controller

An Electric Vehicle Communication Controller, or EVCC, is the communication controller on the vehicle side of the ISO 15118 interface.

Also calledElectric Vehicle Supply Equipment

EVSE means Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment, the independently controlled part of a charge point that can supply energy to one electric vehicle at a time.

Also calledEVSEID · EVSE identifier

An EVSE ID is a structured identifier used to identify an individual EVSE across charging, roaming and billing systems.

Fast charging is a legacy UK label formerly used for EV charging above ordinary low-power charging but below rapid charging.

Also calledfuel cell electric vehicle · hydrogen fuel cell vehicle

A fuel cell electric vehicle, or FCEV, uses a fuel cell to generate electricity for the electric motor that propels the vehicle.

EV charger firmware is embedded software stored on charge point hardware that controls how the device behaves and communicates.

Also calledflex · demand flexibility

Energy flexibility is the ability to change electricity demand or supply in response to site, grid, market or price conditions.

Formula E is the FIA world championship for all-electric single-seater racing.

A fuel cell converts chemical energy directly into electricity through an electrochemical reaction rather than combustion.

Also calledEREC G100 · Engineering Recommendation G100

G100 is an Energy Networks Association engineering recommendation for customer import and export limitation schemes connected to Great Britain's electricity distribution networks.

Also calledEREC G98 · Engineering Recommendation G98

G98 is an Energy Networks Association engineering recommendation for connecting fully type-tested micro-generators up to and including 16 A per phase in parallel with public low-voltage distribution networks in Great Britain.

Also calledEREC G99 · Engineering Recommendation G99

G99 is an Energy Networks Association engineering recommendation setting technical requirements for generation equipment connected in parallel with public distribution networks in Great Britain.

Also calledgreenhouse gas

GHG means greenhouse gas, a gas that absorbs and re-emits heat in the atmosphere.

Gigafactory is an informal industry term for a very large manufacturing plant producing batteries, battery materials, electric vehicles or related components.

Also calledMode 2 cable · portable EV charging cable · three-pin charging cable

A granny charger is a portable Mode 2 EV charging cable that connects an electric vehicle to a standard domestic socket.

Also calledGOM · range estimator

Guess-o-meter is driver slang for the remaining-range estimate shown by an electric vehicle.

A hybrid electric vehicle, or HEV, combines an internal combustion engine with an electric motor and battery but does not recharge its traction battery from an external electricity supply.

Also calledHLC

High-Level Communication, or HLC, is digital communication between an EV and EVSE used in addition to the basic charging signalling defined for the charging interface.

A home charging point is EV charging equipment installed for private residential use, normally to provide controlled AC charging from the property's electrical supply.

HomePlug Green PHY is a power-line communications technology used in wired EV charging to carry high-level data between the vehicle and EVSE.

Hydrogen is an energy carrier that can be stored and used in a fuel cell to generate electricity.

Also calledinternal combustion engine

ICE means internal combustion engine, the petrol or diesel engine used to propel conventional vehicles and many hybrid vehicles.

Also calledICE'd · ICE blocked

ICE blocked describes an EV charging bay that cannot be used because a vehicle with an internal combustion engine is occupying the charging space.

ICEing is when a vehicle with an internal combustion engine occupies a bay intended for EV charging and prevents an EV from using it.

IEC 61851 is an international standards family covering conductive electric vehicle charging systems.

IEC 62196 is the international standards family covering EV plugs, socket-outlets, vehicle connectors and vehicle inlets for conductive charging.

IEC 63110 is a standards family for the management of electric vehicle charging and discharging infrastructure.

IEC 63119 is an international standards family for information exchange used in EV charging roaming services.

IEC TS 63379:2026 specifies the vehicle connector, vehicle inlet and cable assembly used for megawatt DC charging.

Import limitation controls electrical demand so a site does not draw more power from the distribution network than its agreed limit permits.

An inverter is power electronics that converts direct current into alternating current.

Also calledVehicle-to-grid communication interface · V2G communication interface

ISO 15118 is a family of international standards for digital communication between an electric vehicle and EV charging equipment.

Also calledkilowatt

A kilowatt, or kW, is a unit of power equal to 1,000 watts.

Also calledkilowatt-hour · kW h

A kilowatt-hour, or kWh, is a unit of energy equal to using or delivering one kilowatt of power for one hour.

A lead-acid battery is a rechargeable battery chemistry using lead-based electrodes and a sulphuric-acid electrolyte.

Also calledLi-ion battery

A lithium-ion battery stores and releases electrical energy through reversible electrochemical reactions involving lithium ions.

Also calledEV load balancing · charger load balancing · load management

EV charging load balancing controls how available electrical capacity is shared between charge points so a site stays within its electrical limits.

Ludicrous Mode is a historic Tesla performance-mode name associated with maximum acceleration on earlier high-performance Model S and Model X vehicles.

Maximum demand is the highest electrical load a site places on its supply over a defined period.

Also calledMCS

The Megawatt Charging System, or MCS, is a high-power DC charging system developed for heavy-duty electric vehicles using the MCS coupler.

A mild hybrid electric vehicle, or MHEV, uses a small electric motor and battery to assist a petrol or diesel engine but cannot be charged from an external EV charge point.

A MID meter is an energy meter placed on the EU market under the Measuring Instruments Directive framework for regulated measurement tasks.

Also calledmi/kWh · m/kWh

Miles per kWh measures EV energy efficiency by showing how far the vehicle travels for each kilowatt-hour of electrical energy used.

Modbus is an application-layer messaging protocol used for client/server communication between industrial devices.

Mode 2 charging connects an EV to an AC supply through a standard socket-outlet using a cable that includes control and protective functions.

Mode 3 charging uses dedicated AC EV supply equipment in which the control-pilot function extends into equipment permanently connected to the AC supply.

Mode 4 charging uses an off-board charger to supply controlled DC power to the electric vehicle.

The Motability Scheme lets eligible disabled people exchange a qualifying mobility allowance for a vehicle lease, including electric cars.

Also calledmiles per gallon

MPG means miles per gallon, a fuel-economy measure showing how far a vehicle travels for each gallon of liquid fuel.

Also calledNAP

A National Access Point, or NAP, is a mechanism set up by an EU Member State to make transport-related data discoverable and accessible for exchange and reuse.

Also callednickel-cadmium · Ni-Cd

NiCad is a rechargeable nickel-cadmium battery chemistry using nickel and cadmium-based electrodes.

NOx means nitrogen oxides, principally nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide in road-vehicle exhaust and air-quality regulation.

Also calledOpen Charge Point Interface

OCPI, the Open Charge Point Interface, is an open protocol for exchanging EV charging data between Charge Point Operators, e-mobility service providers and roaming platforms.

Also calledOpen Charge Point Protocol

OCPP, the Open Charge Point Protocol, is an open communication protocol between an EV charging station and a Charging Station Management System, or CSMS.

OLEV was the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, the former name of the UK government unit now called the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, or OZEV.

OLEV grant is a historic label used for UK government electric-vehicle and chargepoint support administered when OZEV was still called the Office for Low Emission Vehicles.

Also calledOBC · on-board charger

An onboard charger is the power-conversion equipment inside an EV that converts incoming AC charging power into controlled DC for the traction battery.

Also calledOpen PEN Detection Device

An Open PEN Detection Device, or OPDD, detects conditions associated with an open PEN conductor fault and disconnects the EV from the charging equipment.

Also calledbroken PEN conductor · open PEN conductor

An open PEN fault is a break or loss of continuity in the combined protective earth and neutral conductor used on a TN-C-S distribution network.

OpenADR is an open standard for automated demand-response signalling between energy providers, aggregators and flexible energy resources.

Also calledover-the-air update · remote firmware update

An OTA update installs new software or firmware on a connected charge point remotely over a communications network.

PAS 1899:2022 is the British specification for making public EV charge points and their surrounding charging environment accessible to a wider range of users.

Also calledpay as you go charging

PAYG means pay as you go, where a driver pays for charging as it is used rather than through a recurring charging subscription.

Also calledEV roaming · e-roaming · charging roaming

EV charging payment roaming lets a driver use one app, RFID card or charging contract across charge point networks operated by different companies.

Peak shaving reduces a site's highest electrical demand by controlling loads, using stored energy or combining both approaches.

Also calledproton-exchange membrane fuel cell · polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

A PEM fuel cell uses a proton-conducting polymer membrane as its electrolyte.

Phase balancing distributes electrical load across the phases of a three-phase supply so one phase is not overloaded while spare capacity remains on the others.

Also calledplug-in hybrid electric vehicle · plug-in hybrid

A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or PHEV, combines an electric motor and externally rechargeable battery with an internal combustion engine.

Also calledPlug and Charge · PnC

Plug & Charge is an ISO 15118 feature that allows a compatible EV to authenticate for charging automatically after it is connected.

Also calledPICG

The Plug-in Car Grant was a UK government subsidy that reduced the purchase price of eligible plug-in cars.

Also calledPLC

Power Line Communication, or PLC, carries digital data over conductors that also have an electrical power function.

Tesla Powerwall is a home battery storage product that stores electrical energy from solar generation or the grid for later household use.

EV preheating warms the cabin, battery or both before the vehicle starts its journey.

Nissan ProPILOT is a driver-assistance system combining functions such as speed and distance control with steering assistance on supported vehicles.

A quadricycle is a four-wheel L-category vehicle that meets the classification criteria for a light L6e or heavy L7e vehicle rather than a full passenger-car category.

EV range is the distance a vehicle can travel before it needs additional energy.

Range anxiety is concern that an EV may not have enough remaining energy or accessible charging to complete the intended journey.

Also calledRpH · miles added per hour

Range per hour estimates how much driving distance a vehicle gains for each hour spent charging.

Also calledREEV · REX · range extender

A range-extended electric vehicle is driven by an electric motor but carries a small internal combustion engine that can generate electricity when additional range is needed.

Rapid charging is the UK Department for Transport's current label for public EV charging rated from 50 kW to under 150 kW.

Also calledResidual Current Device

A Residual Current Device, or RCD, detects an imbalance caused by current flowing outside the intended circuit and disconnects the supply when its operating threshold is reached.

Also calledResidual Direct Current Detecting Device

A Residual Direct Current Detecting Device, or RDC-DD, detects DC residual current in Mode 3 EV charging equipment so the protective system can respond appropriately.

Regenerative braking slows an electrified vehicle by using the traction motor as a generator and returning some of the vehicle's kinetic energy to the battery.

Remote diagnostics lets an operator inspect charger status, faults and diagnostic information through a management system without first visiting the site.

The remaining capacity of a battery compared to its capacity when new.

Residual value is the expected or actual value remaining in a vehicle after a defined period of ownership, lease or finance.

An RFID card or token identifies a charging customer or account when it is presented to a compatible charge point reader.

Also calledRoad Fund Licence

RFL means Road Fund Licence, an outdated informal name sometimes used for UK Vehicle Excise Duty.

SAE J1772 is the North American standard covering conductive charging requirements for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Also calledNorth American Charging System · NACS · J3400

SAE J3400 is the North American recommended practice that standardises the charging interface commonly known as the North American Charging System, or NACS.

Also calledSupply Equipment Communication Controller

A Supply Equipment Communication Controller, or SECC, is the communication controller on the EVSE side of the ISO 15118 interface.

A second-use EV battery is a traction battery repurposed for another duty after it no longer meets the requirements of its original vehicle.

Secure boot is a startup security process that checks software before allowing it to run on the device.

Self-charging hybrid is a marketing term for a hybrid electric vehicle that cannot be plugged into an external electricity supply.

Signed firmware is firmware accompanied by a cryptographic signature that lets a charger verify who authorised the software and whether it has been altered.

Slow charging is a legacy UK label for lower-power EV charging.

Smart charging changes the timing or rate of EV charging in response to communication signals or operating constraints.

A smart meter records energy use and communicates readings through the smart-meter communications system rather than relying only on manual meter readings.

A solid-state battery uses a solid electrolyte instead of the liquid or gel electrolyte found in conventional lithium-ion cells.

Also calledSoC · SOC

State of charge is an estimate of how much usable charge remains in a battery, normally expressed as a percentage of the available capacity.

Also calledSoH · SOH

State of health is an estimate of a battery's condition relative to a defined reference state, usually when the battery was new.

A Tesla Supercharger is a high-power DC charge point on Tesla's global charging network.

Also calledTrans-European Transport Network

TEN-T is the European Union's trans-European transport network covering major transport corridors, nodes and connections across Europe.

A tethered charging cable is permanently attached to the charge point.

Thermal management controls the temperature of an EV battery, power electronics and other components so they operate within suitable limits.

Three-phase EV charging uses all three phases of an AC electrical supply to transfer power to a compatible vehicle.

A UK three-pin plug is a BS 1363 domestic mains plug used by some portable Mode 2 EV charging cables.

Also calledTransport Layer Security

Transport Layer Security, or TLS, protects network communications by providing confidentiality, data integrity and endpoint authentication.

Also calledTCO

Total cost of ownership, or TCO, adds the costs of buying, operating and supporting an asset across a defined period.

Trickle charging is an informal term for charging at very low power.

Turtle Mode is a reduced-power state used by some electric vehicles when the battery or another vehicle condition limits the propulsion power available.

Also calledSAE J1772 connector · J-plug

Type 1 is an AC vehicle connector configuration associated with SAE J1772 and used mainly in North America and on some older imported EVs elsewhere.

Also calledIEC Type 2 · Mennekes-style connector

Type 2 is the AC EV charging connector configuration widely used in Europe and standardised under IEC 62196-2.

Also calledultra-fast charging

UFC is an older abbreviation for ultra-fast charging, used for very high-power EV charging.

Also calledULEZ

The Ultra Low Emission Zone, or ULEZ, is London's road-charging zone for vehicles that do not meet specified emissions standards.

Also calledULEV

An ultra-low emission vehicle, or ULEV, is a UK classification currently used for vehicles reported to emit less than 75 g/km of tailpipe CO2.

EV charger uptime and reliability describe how consistently charging equipment remains usable over time.

Also calledPlug & Charge PKI · Public Key Infrastructure

V2G PKI is the certificate and trust infrastructure used by ISO 15118 Plug & Charge to authenticate participating vehicles, contracts and charging systems.

Also calledvehicle-to-everything

V2X is an umbrella term for vehicle-to-everything energy use cases in which an EV can provide electrical energy beyond normal one-way charging.

Also calledVED · vehicle tax

Vehicle Excise Duty, or VED, is the UK tax charged on vehicles according to the rules that apply to their type and registration date.

Also calledV2B

Vehicle-to-building, or V2B, lets compatible EVs supply electrical energy to a commercial or other building through bidirectional charging equipment.

Also calledV2G

Vehicle-to-grid, or V2G, allows a compatible EV and bidirectional charging system to export electrical energy back towards the public electricity network.

Also calledV2H

Vehicle-to-home, or V2H, lets a compatible EV supply electrical energy to a home through bidirectional charging equipment.

Voltage is the electrical potential difference between two points and is measured in volts.

Also calledWorldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure

WLTP is the laboratory test procedure used to produce comparable vehicle energy-consumption, CO2 and electric-range figures.

Workplace charging provides EV charging at a place of work for employees, visitors or fleet vehicles using the site's electrical infrastructure.

Also calledWCS

The Workplace Charging Scheme is an OZEV grant that contributes towards the purchase and installation of EV charge points at eligible workplaces.

Zero emission usually describes a vehicle or activity with no emissions at the point of use, such as no tailpipe CO2 from a battery electric vehicle.

Also calledZEV

A zero-emission vehicle, or ZEV, is a vehicle classified as producing zero tailpipe CO2 under the relevant regulatory or statistical definition.