EV : Common Terms

 

Term	Definition
AC (Alternating Current)	An electric current that periodically reverses direction. In the context of EVs, AC is the type of power supplied by the electric grid and used by Level 1 and Level 2 charging stations.
DC (Direct Current)	An electric current flowing in one direction only. In the context of EVs, DC is used by fast charging stations to charge a vehicle directly.
Level 1 Charging	This refers to charging an EV using a 120 volt AC plug (a standard household outlet). It is the slowest form of charging and typically provides 2-5 miles of range per hour of charging.
Level 2 Charging	This refers to charging an EV using a 240 volt AC source (like a household clothes dryer plug). It is faster than Level 1 charging and typically provides 10-60 miles of range per hour of charging.
DC Fast Charging (DCFC)	This refers to charging an EV using a DC power source. It is much faster than Level 1 or Level 2 charging and typically provides 60-100 miles of range in 20 minutes of charging.
Supercharging	This is Tesla's proprietary version of DC Fast Charging for their own vehicles. It is capable of charging a Tesla vehicle up to 80% in about 30 minutes.
Charger	This is a device that converts AC power from the grid to DC power to charge the battery of an EV. Technically, the charger is on-board the vehicle and what is often referred to as a "charger" is actually an EVSE.
EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment)	This is the equipment that delivers electrical energy from an electricity source to charge an EV's batteries. It communicates with the EV to ensure safe charging.
Charging Station	This is a station that a driver can use to charge their EV. It consists of an EVSE and a connector that plugs into the EV.
Connector	The plug that is inserted into the EV to deliver power. Different types of connectors include the J1772 (used by most Level 1 and Level 2 chargers), CHAdeMO (used by some DCFC stations), and the Tesla connector (used by Tesla's Superchargers and other Tesla charging equipment).
Range	The distance an EV can travel on a fully charged battery.
Charging Rate	The speed at which an EV's battery is charged, often measured in kilowatts (kW) or in miles of range added per hour of charging.
kW (Kilowatt)	A measure of electrical power, which is equal to 1,000 watts. The higher the kW rating of an EV charger, the faster it can charge an EV's battery.
kWh (Kilowatt-hour)	A measure of electrical energy equivalent to a power consumption of one kilowatt for one hour. This is often how the energy capacity of an EV battery is defined.
Battery Capacity	The amount of electric energy an EV battery can store, typically measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh).
Range Anxiety	The fear that an EV has insufficient range to reach its destination and would thus strand the vehicle's occupants.
Regenerative Braking	A system in EVs and hybrids that stores the energy from braking and converts it into electricity to charge the battery.