A
- AC charging
- Alternating-current charging — the kind you get at home and most Level 2 chargers. The car's onboard charger converts AC to DC for the battery, which limits the maximum speed to the onboard charger's rating (usually 7.4–11.5 kW).
- Amp (A)
- A unit of electrical current. EV chargers are typically rated in amps. On a 240 V circuit, a 32 A charger delivers about 7.4 kW.
B
- BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle)
- A vehicle powered solely by an electric battery — no internal combustion engine. Contrast with HEV (hybrid) and PHEV (plug-in hybrid).
- Battery management system (BMS)
- The onboard computer that monitors battery cells, manages temperature, controls charging speed, and protects the pack from damage. Modern BMS is what makes long battery life possible.
- Battery pack
- The full assembly of cells, modules, BMS, cooling and housing that stores the EV's energy. Typically 30–130 kWh in mainstream EVs. Replacement cost runs $120–200/kWh at the pack level.
- Bidirectional charging
- The ability for a car to send power back out, not just receive it. Three flavors: V2L (Vehicle-to-Load, run an appliance from the car), V2H (Vehicle-to-Home, back up your house), V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid, sell power back). Hyundai/Kia/Ford Lightning support V2L; V2H/G are growing.
C
- Calendar aging
- The gradual loss of battery capacity that happens just from time passing, even if the car is barely driven. Typically 1–2% per year for modern EVs.
- CCS (Combined Charging System / CCS1)
- The DC fast charging connector standard used by most non-Tesla EVs in North America from 2018 through 2024. Combines a J1772 AC plug with two extra DC pins. Being gradually replaced by NACS on new vehicles.
- CHAdeMO
- An older DC fast charging standard developed in Japan. Used by pre-2018 Nissan Leafs and some early Japanese EVs. Going extinct in North America — most new fast-charging stations no longer install CHAdeMO cables.
- Cycle aging
- The capacity loss that happens with each charge-discharge cycle. Modern batteries handle 1,500–3,000+ full cycles before significant degradation — many hundreds of thousands of miles in normal use.
- Charging curve
- The graph of how fast a battery accepts charge at different states of charge. EVs charge fastest between roughly 10–80% and slow dramatically above 80%, which is why road-trip charging usually stops at 80%.
D
- DC fast charging
- High-power public charging (50–350 kW) that bypasses the onboard charger and pushes DC directly into the battery. Used for road-trip charging; adds 100–300+ miles of range in 20–40 minutes.
- Depreciation
- The loss of vehicle value over time. EVs typically depreciate ~22% in year one (driven partly by the first-buyer-captured tax credit), then 8–12% per year. A 5-year-old EV is usually worth ~50% of its original MSRP.
- Disposition fee
- A fee charged at the end of a lease (typically $300–500) to cover the cost of preparing the car for resale. Avoidable in some leases by purchasing the car instead of returning it.
E
- EPA range
- The official range rating from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, based on a standardized test cycle. Real-world range is almost always different — better in slow city driving, worse at highway speeds and in cold weather.
- EV (Electric Vehicle)
- Generic term covering anything plug-in: BEVs, PHEVs, and (looser usage) HEVs. On this site, "EV" usually means BEV unless context says otherwise.
- EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment)
- The technical term for what most people call an "EV charger" — the box on the wall + cable. Strictly speaking the charger is inside the car; EVSE is the equipment that delivers AC to it. Used interchangeably in conversation.
F
- Federal clean vehicle credit
- See "Tax credit (U.S. federal clean vehicle credit)" under T.
H
- HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle)
- A car with both a gas engine and a small battery that recovers energy from braking. Doesn't plug in. Toyota Prius is the classic example.
- Heat pump
- A more efficient cabin and battery heater used in many newer EVs. Moves heat from outside air rather than generating it from electricity. Recovers significant cold-weather range vs. a resistive heater. Most 2022+ EVs include one.
I
- ICE (Internal Combustion Engine)
- A traditional gas-powered engine. Used to distinguish gas cars from EVs in EV-owner shorthand ("ICE car," "ICE driver").
- ICE-ing
- Blocking an EV charging spot with a non-charging gas car — accidentally or deliberately. Illegal in many states. Considered very rude in EV culture.
J
- J1772
- The standard AC charging connector for non-Tesla EVs in North America. Handles Level 1 and Level 2 only, not DC fast. Most home and public Level 2 chargers use this connector. 2025+ EVs with NACS ports include a J1772-to-NACS adapter.
- J3400
- The SAE standardized name for Tesla's NACS connector. Same plug, just adopted as an industry standard in 2023. "NACS" and "J3400" mean the same thing.
K
- kW (kilowatt)
- A unit of power — the rate at which energy moves. Chargers are rated in kW: a 7.4 kW Level 2 charger delivers energy 5× faster than a 1.4 kW Level 1 outlet.
- kWh (kilowatt-hour)
- A unit of energy — power × time. A 75 kWh battery holds 75 kilowatt-hours of energy. Your home electric bill is also measured in kWh.
L
- Level 1 charging
- Charging from a standard 120 V household outlet (US) — about 1.4 kW. Adds roughly 3–5 miles of range per hour. Fine for short commutes.
- Level 2 charging
- Charging on a dedicated 240 V circuit — 3.3 to 19 kW. The standard for home charging. Adds 20–60 miles of range per hour.
- LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate)
- A battery chemistry used in many newer EVs (some Tesla Model 3, BYD, etc.). Slightly lower energy density than NMC but cheaper, more thermally stable, and tolerant of repeated 100% charges.
M
- mi/kWh
- Miles driven per kilowatt-hour of energy. The most intuitive measure of EV efficiency. Most modern EVs achieve 3–4 mi/kWh in mixed driving.
- MPGe
- "Miles per gallon equivalent" — the EPA's way to compare EV efficiency to gas-car MPG. Defined as mi/kWh × 33.7 (one gallon of gasoline holds 33.7 kWh of energy). 117 MPGe ≈ 3.5 mi/kWh.
N
- NACS (North American Charging Standard)
- Tesla's plug design, now adopted as a standard by most major automakers in North America. The same connector handles both home (AC) and Tesla Supercharger (DC) charging. Standardized as SAE J3400.
- NEC 80% rule
- A U.S. National Electrical Code rule: continuous loads (including EV charging) must use no more than 80% of a circuit's breaker rating. A 40 A breaker safely supports a 32 A continuous EV charger.
- NEMA 14-50
- A 240 V, 50-amp outlet commonly used for home EV charging — the same outlet older RVs and electric ranges use. Pairs with portable Level 2 EVSE rated up to 32 A continuous (~7.4 kW).
- NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt)
- The traditional EV battery chemistry. Higher energy density than LFP (so smaller batteries for the same range) but more sensitive to heat and to charging at 100% repeatedly.
O
- Off-peak rate
- A lower electricity rate offered by some utilities during low-demand hours (often 11 PM–6 AM). EV owners on time-of-use plans typically charge overnight to save 30–60% on running costs.
- Onboard charger (OBC)
- The hardware inside the car that converts AC from the wall to DC for the battery. Its rating sets the maximum AC charging speed (typically 7.4–11.5 kW for mainstream EVs, 19 kW for some). Doesn't affect DC fast charging, which bypasses it.
- One-pedal driving
- A driving mode many EVs offer where lifting off the accelerator strongly regenerates and slows the car — often enough to never use the brake pedal in city driving. Stretches brake life and recovers energy.
P
- PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle)
- A hybrid with a larger battery that can be plugged in and run on electricity for 20–50 miles before the gas engine takes over.
- Phantom drain (vampire drain)
- Slow battery loss while the car is parked. Typically 1–3% per day from systems staying awake — sentry mode, climate scheduling, app connections. Tesla's Sentry Mode is the highest-profile contributor.
- Preconditioning
- Warming or cooling the battery (and sometimes cabin) before driving or before DC fast charging, usually while still plugged in. Improves cold-weather range and charging speed.
R
- Range anxiety
- The worry of running out of charge before reaching a charger. Mostly a concern for first-time EV owners — it tends to fade within a few weeks of ownership for most people, because charging routines become automatic.
- Regenerative braking
- Recapturing kinetic energy as the car slows down and storing it back in the battery. EVs typically recover 60–80% of the energy that would have been lost as brake heat. The main reason EV brakes last so long.
- Residual value
- The estimated value of a vehicle at the end of a lease. A high residual value means a cheaper lease (you're financing less depreciation).
S
- SoC (State of Charge)
- How full the battery is, expressed as a percentage. A car that's been charged from 20% to 80% has gone from a 20% SoC to an 80% SoC.
- Supercharger
- Tesla's DC fast-charging network. Speeds typically range from 150–250 kW. Originally Tesla-only; now open to many other EV brands using a CCS adapter or built-in NACS.
T
- Tax credit (U.S. federal clean vehicle credit)
- Up to $7,500 off the price of a qualifying new EV ($4,000 for some used EVs). Eligibility depends on the vehicle, battery sourcing rules, and the buyer's income.
- Thermal management
- The system of liquid cooling, heating, and battery insulation that keeps the pack in its optimal temperature range (~70–110 °F). Active thermal management is the main reason modern EVs last so long compared to early-2010s ones without it.
- Time-of-use (TOU) rate
- An electricity rate plan with different prices at different times of day. Cheapest overnight, most expensive during late afternoon peaks. Pairs well with EV charging.
- Trickle charging
- Slow charging from a 120 V Level 1 outlet — typically 1.4 kW. The original "trickle" charger is the basic mobile EVSE that ships with most EVs. Useful for emergencies and short daily commutes only.
V
- V2L / V2H / V2G
- Vehicle-to-Load (powering external devices from the car battery), Vehicle-to-Home (backing up your house), Vehicle-to-Grid (selling stored power back to the utility). All three forms of bidirectional charging; V2L is most widely available, V2H/V2G are emerging.
- Voltage (V)
- Electrical pressure. Standard outlets are 120 V (US) or 230 V (Europe). EV home chargers use 240 V circuits in the US. DC fast chargers operate at 400 V or 800 V battery-pack levels.
W
- Wall connector
- Tesla-branded Level 2 home charger. 48 A (11.5 kW) maximum on a 60 A circuit. Tesla's competing options include the Mobile Connector (portable, up to 32 A) and Universal Wall Connector (with built-in J1772 adapter).