Electric Car Jargon Busted: The A to Z of EV

When it comes to electric cars, there’s still a lot of jargon and it can get confusing when you’re just trying to work out how far you can go on one charge.
So, we’ve created this cheat sheet for you to come back to and check whenever you need to. In this guide, we’ve split the jargon by topic, rather than alphabetically, so you can dip in and work out what you’re looking at whenever you need to.

Here's all the key bits you need to know, all in one place.

First, let's cover the essentials, as above:
Electric Vehicle (EV) • Cars with plugs, not petrol. • Quieter, cleaner, & future-friendly shhhh Battery Capacity (kWh) • Your EV's fuel tank but electric! • Bigger number = more miles • Examples: 35Kwh, 60Kwh, 100Kwh Range • How far you can go on a full charge • The stat every EV driver brags about! Regenerative Braking • Braking that pays you back. Slow down, and your car tops up the battery • (and saves your brake pads) Lithium-ion • The kind of battery most electric cars use. • Like the one in your smartphone, just a lot bigger! Range per hour • This number tells you how many miles of range you get for every hour you're plugged in State of Charge • A number saying how much charge your battery has left, shown as a percentage (like your phone battery) Charging Levels These are the "speed settings" for charging • Slow Charge: Level 1 (up to 3kW). A slow trickle, overnight top up • Fast Charge: Level 2 (7-22kW). Quick full charge overnight • Rapid Charge: Level 3 (50kW+). Super fast pit stop. Charging connector The plug that actually fits in your car. Get to know yours – not all are the same! • Type 1. Five pin, common in older cars • Type 2. 7 pin, standard plug • CCS. Combo plug type 2 + 2 pins for extra fast charging • CHAdeMO. Rapid charging plug

Choose a topic to get started:
• Charging an electric car • Current and voltage • Power in kWh and Ah • Economy • Charging points • Charging cables and sockets • Charging modes • Technical jargon

There are three main terms here: current (amps), voltage (volts), and power (watts). Current and voltage affect charging speed, while power is how much energy you get from a full charge.

Electricity from the grid is alternating current (AC), but car batteries use direct current (DC), so a converter is needed. Faster conversion means quicker charging.
As a general rule, AC charging is used for overnight or standard charging, and DC is used for faster charging.

Most plug-in vehicles use onboard chargers to convert AC from the charge point into DC for the battery. Some EVs can charge faster with optional high-rate onboard chargers.

AC charging is either single-phase, supplying up to 7kW, or three-phase, supplying up to 22kW. Most UK home sockets are single-phase, while three-phase is needed for rapid DC chargers.

Electric cars need a high voltage to power the motor. Modern electric cars have voltage level of 400 to 800 Volts (V).

Sometimes, electric car specs mention amps, which measure current strength. Ampere hours (Ah) indicate the battery’s supply over an hour; higher values mean greater current output.

Car power is usually shown in kilowatts (kW), which measure power. Kilowatt hours (kWh) show how much energy a battery stores. More kWh means greater range, with one kWh giving about three to four miles.

The industry mainly uses kilowatt hours (kWh) for electric cars, as it better reflects battery performance. To convert ampere hours to kilowatt hours, use: kWh = Ah × V ÷ 1,000.
Learn more about charging an electric car.

Electric car efficiency is measured by how far you travel per kilowatt hour (kWh) of energy, such as kWh per mile or miles/km per kWh. This shows how long the battery will last.

You’ll plug your car into a charging point to draw power from the grid. Charging points may also be called:
• EV charging stations • Electric recharging points • Electronic charging station (ECS) • Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE)

This refers to charging points made available for everyone to use. You’ll have to pay to use them, just like you would a petrol pump.
There are a number of public charging networks, run by different companies. Some only cover specific regions, while others are national. Learn more about public charging points.

Just like petrol and diesel, you have to pay for your fuel. You have a couple of options:
• App – pay using a dedicated app. • Contactless – tap your card to pay at some rapid charge points. • RFID card – use a pre-paid card for older charging points. • Subscription – pay a monthly fee instead of per use.

Residential charging stations are for local residents. These include home wall-mounted chargers using household electricity, and on-street charge points for those without off-road parking.
On-street options may need a subscription or tariff and come in various forms: pillar units, retractable telescopic points, or chargers fitted to lamp posts. Learn more about charging at home.

Charging cables connect your plug-in vehicle to the charging point. Pay attention to the sockets (also called connectors). There are a couple of different types:
• Type 1: Five-pin plug with clip, now rare in Europe. • Type 2: Seven-pin plug, European standard for most modern EVs; supports all charging speeds. • ChaDeMo: Round, four-pin plug for rapid charging; common in Asian brands like Nissan. • CSS: Enables rapid charging; widely used by German brands alongside Type 2. • Commando: Older cable type, like those for caravans. • UK mains plug: Standard three-pin plug; only for emergencies.

Once plugged in, charging starts using one of four modes.
• Mode 1: Direct connection, but rarely used nowadays. • Mode 2: Built-in safety circuitry controls current. • Mode 3: Charge point and car communicate for optimal speed; power stops when fully charged. • Mode 4: Like Mode 3, but for rapid charging only. Some cables simply connect your car to the charging point and transfer power, while others use advanced systems to ensure you’re getting the right amount of voltage and current to your battery.

There are three main charging speeds, with different levels of power:
• Slow charging: takes 8–12 hours, with power between 3–6kW. • Fast charging: 3–4 hours, 7–22kW. Typical of most public chargers. • Rapid charging: 80% in 30 minutes, 100–350kW. Not for hybrids, and it may overheat battery if done too much. Other charging jargon • Home charging: Plug in at home, usually overnight. Dedicated points are safest. • ICEd: When a petrol or diesel car nabs the EV spot, blocking your charge. • Smart charging: Car, charger, and operator chat to optimise your top-up. • Trickle charging: Super slow, overnight charge. Best through a proper point. • Top-up charging: Quick plug-in for a battery boost, like topping up your phone. • Vehicle to Grid (V2G): Feed power back to the grid from your car’s battery.

There are a few terms to spot when looking at electric car batteries:
• Lithium Ion – most EVs use these; expect 8–10 years’ life, keeping at least 80% charge. Getting cheaper and better all the time. • Solid State – smaller, cheaper, and packs more punch. Uses solid bits inside, not liquid. Not mainstream yet, but keep an eye out. • State of Charge (SOC) – shows your battery’s charge, as a percentage. Near zero? Time to plug in. • Range – how far you’ll go on one charge. Bigger battery, bigger adventure. • Range anxiety – the worry you’ll run out of charge and get stranded. Avoid it by keeping topped up. • Range per hour (RPH) – miles added per hour of charging. Handy for planning your next move. • WLTP – official test for measuring EV range in the UK and Europe. Gives you the real-world numbers. Learn more about electric car batteries, including tips to make them last.

The inner workings of electric cars and their motors are quite complex, so we’ll just stick to the bits you need to know (or might need to know for a pub quiz, you’re welcome).
• Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS) – all electric and hybrid cars must have this sound system to meet legal audio warnings. • Permanent magnet synchronous motors – the most common electric car motors, using magnetic fields and electricity. • Regenerative braking – recharges the battery when slowing down, as the motor acts like a generator. • Revolutions per minute (RPM) – how many full turns the motor shaft makes in a minute, just like in petrol cars. • Torque – twisting force that drives rotation and acceleration; EVs deliver maximum torque instantly from zero revs.