Electric Vehicle Terminology and Acronyms

[G. David Felt]

Fast Facts

Some of the terminology and acronyms you will find when researching electric vehicles may seem confusing. Here are some definitions that will help you better understand the literature you will find. 

EV - Electric Vehicle - A vehicle that is propelled by a motor powered by electrical energy from rechargeable batteries or another source onboard the vehicle 

HEV - Hybrid Electric Vehicle - An EV that combines an internal combustion engine with an electric propulsion system. The charge on the batteries is maintained through the normal operation of the engine 

PHEV - Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle - An HEV that incorporates a separate battery system where the charge is maintained by plugging into an external power source 

BEV - Battery Electric Vehicle - An EV that does not have a combustion engine at all, rather it relies solely on a battery system and must be plugged into a charging source to replenish the charge 

EVSE - Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment - The "charging" equipment used to maintain a charge on EV battery systems 

Level 1 EVSE - 120 Volt Charging Equipment - Can fully charge an all-electric vehicle in about 18 hours. A plug-in hybrid may charge to capacity in as little as six hours depending on the capacity of the battery pack 

Level 2 EVSE - 240 Volt Charging Equipment - Similar to what is used for a clothes dryer, and is well suited for more quickly charging BEVs. Charging time is approximately three to eight hours, depending on vehicle type 

Level 3 EVSE - High Voltage DC Charging Equipment - Requires three-phase electric service and is the most expensive system. The primary benefit is the capability to charge the vehicle to approximately 80 percent capacity in 30 minutes 

Charge Coupler - The connecter and mating vehicle receptacle that connects the electric charging source to the electric vehicle 

EPRI - Electric Power Research Institute - An independent, non-profit company performing research, development and demonstration in the electricity sector for the benefit of the public 

SAE - Society of Automotive Engineers - A non-profit educational and scientific organization dedicated to advancing mobility technology to better serve humanity 

J1772 - The North American (And Japanese adopted) SAE standard for the design of the Charge Coupler (a pin and sleeve device) 

CCID - Charge Circuit Interrupting Device - A safety device that will disable utility power to your electric vehicle charger in the event that a loss of isolation is detected