EV Jargon Buster: 40 Terms Explained

EV ownership comes with a language of its own, and getting to grips with the terminology makes buying, charging, and running an electric car much less daunting. This glossary covers around 40 of the terms you will encounter most often, from connector types and charging speeds to tax jargon and battery tech. Whether you are considering your first EV or have already bought one and want to make sense of what the manual is talking about, this guide has you covered. A good starting point for understanding what cables you will need is our EV charging cable guide.

Charging terminology: the words you will see every day

Understanding charging jargon saves confusion when you arrive at a public charger or compare home charger specifications.

• AC (Alternating Current): The type of electricity supplied by the grid. Home chargers and slower public charge points deliver AC. Your car's onboard charger (OBC) converts it to DC before it enters the battery.
• DC (Direct Current): The type of electricity stored in EV batteries. Rapid chargers deliver DC directly, bypassing the OBC and charging much faster.
• Slow charger: Typically up to around 7 kW. Usually a three-pin socket or a basic wallbox. Fine for overnight charging.
• Fast charger: Typically 7 to 22 kW AC. Most home wallboxes and many workplace or destination chargers fall here.
• Rapid charger: DC chargers typically starting from around 50 kW upwards. Found at motorway services and dedicated charging hubs. Can add significant range in around 20 to 30 minutes.
• Ultra-rapid charger: Higher-powered DC chargers that can charge compatible vehicles even faster. Not all cars can accept ultra-rapid speeds; check your car's maximum charge rate in the manufacturer's spec sheet.
• Tethered charger: A charge point with a cable permanently attached. Convenient because you do not need to bring your own cable.
• Untethered charger: A charge point with a socket but no built-in cable. You need to bring your own cable. Common at home wallboxes and some public charge points.
• RFID card: A tap-to-access card used at some public charge networks. Some networks require app registration and an RFID card rather than contactless payment.
• Smart charging: Charging scheduled to run at cheaper off-peak times, often overnight. Many home wallboxes and some apps support this automatically.
• Charge curve: How a battery's acceptance rate changes as it fills. Most EVs charge fastest between around 10 and 80 per cent, then slow down to protect the battery. This is why charging to 80 per cent at a rapid charger is much quicker than going from 80 to 100.
• Preconditioning: Warming or cooling the battery and cabin to an ideal temperature before you unplug. Doing this while still connected to the charger means the energy comes from the grid rather than the battery, preserving range.

Battery and range terms: understanding what the numbers mean

Battery jargon is where many newcomers get confused. Here are the key terms explained plainly.

• kWh (kilowatt-hour): The unit of energy capacity. Think of it like litres in a petrol tank: a larger kWh figure means more energy stored and, all else being equal, more range.
• kW (kilowatt): The rate of energy transfer. A 7 kW charger adds energy at 7 kilowatts per hour. Higher kW means faster charging.
• WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure): The official range and efficiency test used for new EVs in the UK and Europe. Conducted in controlled conditions, so real-world range is often somewhat lower, particularly at motorway speeds or in cold weather.
• SOC (State of Charge): The current battery level as a percentage, equivalent to the needle on a fuel gauge.
• Buffer (usable capacity vs gross capacity): EV batteries reserve a portion of their total energy that software keeps locked off to protect battery health. The usable capacity figure is what you can actually access; it is lower than the gross (total) capacity printed in the spec sheet.
• Traction battery: The large main battery pack that powers the electric motor and drives the car.
• 12V battery: A separate, smaller auxiliary battery that powers the car's electronics (lights, central locking, infotainment) just as in a conventional car. If this goes flat, the car will not start even if the traction battery is full.
• BMS (Battery Management System): Software that monitors and controls charging, temperature, and discharge rates to keep the battery safe and maximise its lifespan.
• Range anxiety: The worry that the battery will run out before reaching a charger. Largely reduced by good trip planning and familiarity with your car's real-world range.

Vehicle tech terms: what is actually happening under the bonnet

• OBC (Onboard Charger): The component inside your car that converts AC electricity from a home charger or public charge point into the DC that the battery stores. Its maximum kW rating limits how fast your car can accept AC charging, regardless of how powerful the charger is.
• Regenerative braking: When you lift off the accelerator or press the brake, the motor acts as a generator, slowing the car and converting kinetic energy back into electricity that goes back into the battery.
• One-pedal driving: A mode available on many EVs where strong regenerative braking brings the car almost to a stop just by lifting off the accelerator, without pressing the brake pedal.
• Heat pump: An energy-efficient climate system used in many newer EVs. It moves heat rather than generating it, using significantly less battery energy than a conventional resistive heater. Cars with a heat pump tend to retain more range in cold weather.
• OTA update (Over-The-Air update): Software updates delivered wirelessly to the car, similar to a phone update. Can add features, fix bugs, or improve charging behaviour without a workshop visit.
• V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid): Technology that allows a compatible EV to discharge stored energy back into the national grid, potentially earning the driver credit during high-demand periods.
• V2H (Vehicle-to-Home): Similar to V2G, but the energy is fed back into your own home rather than the grid, useful during power cuts or to run appliances on cheap off-peak electricity you charged overnight.

Connector types: which plug goes in which car?

• Type 1: A five-pin AC connector used on older and some imported EVs, particularly from Japanese and American manufacturers. Less common in the UK today.
• Type 2: The standard seven-pin AC connector in the UK and Europe. Used by the vast majority of modern EVs for home and public AC charging. Also known as Mennekes.
• CCS (Combined Charging System): Adds two DC pins to the bottom of a Type 2 connector. The standard rapid DC charging connector for most European and many American EVs.
• CHAdeMO: An older DC rapid charging standard, originally from Japan. Less common at UK charge points now as CCS has become dominant. Some older Nissan and Mitsubishi models use it.

For a full guide to which cable works with your car, visit our Type 2 charging cables page or use the cable finder on our home page.

Cost and tax terms: making sense of EV finances

• BIK (Benefit-in-Kind): The taxable value applied to company car drivers. EVs attract a significantly lower BIK percentage than petrol or diesel cars, making them very attractive for salary sacrifice and fleet drivers. The exact rate changes each tax year; check the current figure on gov.uk.
• Salary sacrifice: An arrangement where you give up part of your gross salary in exchange for a car through your employer, reducing income tax and National Insurance. EVs are one of the most popular salary sacrifice choices because of the low BIK rate.
• VED (Vehicle Excise Duty): Road tax. EVs registered in certain years have been exempt or paid a reduced rate; check gov.uk for the current rules, as they have changed.
• ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone): A charge zone in London (and potentially other cities) targeting higher-polluting vehicles. Battery EVs are exempt from the ULEZ charge.
• EVHS (Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme): A past government grant for home charger installation. Schemes and eligibility change, so check gov.uk for whatever is current.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between kW and kWh?

kW (kilowatt) is the rate of charging power: how fast energy is being added. kWh (kilowatt-hour) is the amount of energy: how much is stored in the battery. A useful analogy is that kW is the speed of a tap, and kWh is the size of the water tank. A higher kW charger fills the same battery faster.

What does WLTP mean and should I trust the range figure?

WLTP is the official test used to measure EV range. It is more realistic than the older NEDC test it replaced, but it is still a controlled lab test. Real-world range is typically lower, particularly at motorway speeds, in cold weather, or with heavy use of heating. Treat the WLTP figure as a ceiling rather than a guarantee, and check independent real-world range tests for the model you are considering.

Do I need my own cable to use a public charger?

It depends on the charger type. Tethered chargers have a cable built in. Untethered chargers have only a socket, so you need to bring your own cable. For AC public charging in the UK, a Type 2 cable is the standard. Check whether your car has a tethered home wallbox or needs its own cable too. Our charging cable guide explains your options.

What is the difference between a BEV and a PHEV?

A BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) runs entirely on electricity and has no combustion engine. A PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) has both a battery you can charge by plugging in and a petrol or diesel engine for longer journeys. PHEVs offer flexibility but require both types of fuel. Their electric-only range is much shorter than a BEV.

What does preconditioning actually do?

Preconditioning warms or cools your EV's battery and cabin to an ideal temperature before you start driving, while the car is still plugged in. In winter this is particularly useful: a warm battery charges faster and delivers better range. Because the energy comes from the mains rather than the battery, it does not cost you range to do it.

Is CHAdeMO still worth worrying about?

CHAdeMO is becoming less common at UK rapid chargers as CCS has become the dominant standard. If your car uses CHAdeMO (some older Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi models), check charger compatibility before long journeys, as some newer charging hubs have reduced the number of CHAdeMO sockets. Most new EVs sold in Europe use CCS.

Now you have the vocabulary to make sense of charge speeds, connector types, and tax terms, you are well placed to research your first EV with confidence. Explore our full range of Type 2 charging cables and visit our Guides for practical articles on home charging, range, and everything else that comes with EV ownership.