The following provides a glossary of terms related to EV charging from EV types to key concepts.
Vehicle Types
Battery Electric
Vehicle (BEV)
A car that runs purely on electric power. Stored in an on-board battery that is charged from mains electricity (typically at a dedicated chargepoint).
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV)
A car with a combination of a traditional internal combustion engine and a rechargeable battery. Allows for either pure electric-powered driving or extended range from a combination of the petrol engine and electric motor.
Plug-in vehicle (PiV)
A overall term for any vehicle with a plug socket. Includes BEVs and PHEVs.
Electric vehicle (EV)
Generally used to refer to pure electric vehicles i.e. BEVs.
Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV)
A car that has tailpipe carbon dioxide emissions of less than 75g/km, and is therefore eligible for up to £4500 of grants from the UK government.
Range-extended EV
An EV containing a small petrol generator to charge the battery when range is running low for longer trips.
New Energy Vehicle (NEV)
This terms describes vehicles that are partially or fully powered by electricity, such as PHEVs and BEVs.
Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV)
This term relates to an EV which uses a fuel cell to power its electric motor. The fuel cells create the electricity to power the EV.
Alternative Fuel Vehicle
This term describes a vehicle that runs on a fuel other than the traditional petrol or diesel. This includes engines that don't solely rely on petroleum such as PHEV, EV or solar powered vehicles.
Charging Cable Connector Types
type 1
A five-pin plug that also features a clip. This connector is typically found on EVs manufactured by Asian brands e.g. Nissan.
type 2
A seven-pin plug with one flat edge. This connector is typically found on EVs manufactured by European brands e.g. BMW.
CHAdeMO
A round four pin plug. This connector is only used for rapid charging points and is typically compatible with EVs manufactured by Asian brands e.g. Mitsubishi.
Combined Charging System (CCS)
Standardised by the EU. This connector is only used for rapid charging points and is typically compatible with EVs manufactured by European brands e.g. Volkswagen.
UK 3 pin
The same plug as a standard UK electrical outlet. This connector can be used to charge some EVs but typically lacks the safety, speed and security features of dedicated systems.