Glossary
EV charging glossary
A plain-English guide to the acronyms, units and concepts you'll meet while driving electric. New to EVs? Start with our first road-trip guide.
- AC charging+
Alternating current charging, typically slower (3–22 kW).
- AC charging uses your car's onboard charger to convert grid AC into DC for the battery. It's the standard for home wallboxes and most destination chargers. Speed is capped by whichever is lower: the station output or your car's onboard charger (often 7.4 or 11 kW).
- DC fast charging+
Direct current charging that bypasses the onboard charger (50–350+ kW).
- DC fast chargers deliver high-power direct current straight to the battery, enabling 10–80% top-ups in 20–40 minutes on most modern EVs. Real-world speed depends on battery temperature, state of charge and the vehicle's peak DC acceptance.
- kW (kilowatt)+
A unit of power — how fast energy moves.
- Kilowatts describe charging speed. A 50 kW charger delivers up to 50 kilowatts of power. Higher kW means faster charging, but only up to your car's maximum acceptance rate.
- kWh (kilowatt-hour)+
A unit of energy — how much charge you receive or store.
- Battery capacity and energy delivered are measured in kWh. A 60 kWh battery charged from 20% to 80% receives roughly 36 kWh. Charging prices are usually quoted per kWh.
- CCS (Combined Charging System)+
The dominant DC fast-charging connector in Europe and Australia.
- CCS combines a Type 2 AC inlet with two DC pins below it. CCS2 is standard across the UK, EU and Australia; nearly every new EV sold in these markets uses it for DC fast charging.
- CHAdeMO+
Legacy Japanese DC fast-charging standard, being phased out.
- CHAdeMO was the original DC standard, used by Nissan Leaf and early Mitsubishi EVs. Most new networks no longer install it. Useful for older EVs but availability is shrinking.
- Type 2 (Mennekes)+
The standard AC connector across Europe, the UK and Australia.
- A 7-pin AC connector used for home wallboxes and public destination chargers. Supports single-phase (up to 7.4 kW) and three-phase (up to 22 kW) charging.
- Tesla Supercharger+
Tesla's proprietary DC fast-charging network, now opening to non-Tesla EVs.
- Originally Tesla-only, many Supercharger sites in the UK, France and Italy now accept non-Tesla CCS vehicles via the Tesla app. Speeds range from 150 kW (V2) to 250 kW (V3) and 500 kW (V4).
- State of charge (SoC)+
The current battery level, expressed as a percentage.
- EVs charge fastest between roughly 10% and 60% SoC, then taper as the battery fills. This is why most route planners target an 80% top-up rather than 100%.
- Charging curve+
How charging power changes as the battery fills.
- Every EV has a charging curve — peak power early on, then progressive tapering. Two cars at the same charger will see different speeds depending on their curve, battery temperature and state of charge.
- Range anxiety+
The worry of running out of charge before reaching a charger.
- Largely solved by good route planning. Modern EVs and tools like our route planner space chargers along your route so you always have a comfortable buffer.
- Regenerative braking+
Recapturing energy when slowing down to top up the battery.
- When you lift off the accelerator or brake, the motor runs in reverse and feeds energy back into the battery. Heavy traffic and downhill stretches can noticeably extend range.
- V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid)+
Sending energy from your EV battery back to the electricity grid.
- V2G turns parked EVs into distributed storage. Bidirectional chargers and supportive tariffs let owners earn money by exporting electricity at peak times. Still early-stage in most markets.
- V2L (Vehicle-to-Load)+
Using your EV as a portable power source for appliances.
- Cars like the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ford F-150 Lightning include sockets that draw power from the traction battery — useful for camping, tools or emergency backup.
- WLTP range+
Standardised EV range figure used across Europe and the UK.
- Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure. Generally more realistic than the older NEDC standard, but real-world range is typically 10–25% lower depending on speed and temperature.
- EPA range+
US standardised EV range figure, generally close to real-world.
- Environmental Protection Agency test cycle. EPA figures tend to be more conservative than WLTP and a useful reference even outside North America.
- Tariff+
The price structure a charging network uses.
- Tariffs vary by network and country: per-kWh, per-minute, time-of-day, membership discounts and idle/overstay fees are all common. Always confirm before you plug in.
- Idle fee+
A penalty for staying plugged in after charging completes.
- Many fast-charging networks charge per minute once your session ends to free up the bay. Move your car promptly when finished to avoid extra cost and help other drivers.
- RFID card+
A physical card used to start a charging session.
- Some networks require an RFID card or app sign-in to unlock the charger and bill you. Contactless and Plug & Charge are gradually replacing them.
- Plug & Charge (ISO 15118)+
Authenticate and pay just by plugging the cable in.
- Your car and the charger exchange certificates over the cable to identify and bill you automatically — no apps, cards or QR codes needed.
- Onboard charger (OBC)+
The in-car AC-to-DC converter that limits AC charging speed.
- Even on a 22 kW AC charger, your car can only accept what its OBC supports — typically 7.4, 11 or 22 kW. DC fast charging bypasses the OBC entirely.
- Battery preconditioning+
Warming the battery before fast charging for peak speed.
- Cold batteries charge slowly. Many EVs precondition automatically when a fast charger is set as a navigation destination. In winter, this can double your DC charging speed.
Still curious?
Dive deeper with our long-form guides or browse real chargers near you.
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