The Electric Vehicle Jargon Buster.

Navigating the world of EVs can be confusing at first. Here's a breakdown of some key terms to get you started:

Types of Electric Vehicles:

• Electric Vehicle (EV): A broad term for any vehicle that uses electricity, typically referring to purely electric cars (Battery Electric Vehicles, BEVs).

• Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV): Relies solely on a battery and electric motor for power. No internal combustion engine! You charge the battery by plugging it in.

• Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV): Has both an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. You can plug it in to charge the battery for electric driving, but also use the internal combustion engine for longer trips.

Common EV Terminology:

• Internal Combustion Engine (ICE): The traditional petrol or diesel engine found in most cars today.

• Kilowatt-hour (kWh): Measures battery capacity, similar to how fuel mileage works for traditional cars. Higher kWh means a longer electric range.

• Charging: Adding electricity to the battery. There are different charging speeds: slow (at home overnight), fast (public charging stations for quicker top-ups), and rapid (very fast charging for long journeys).

• Range: How far the car can travel on a single charge.

Other helpful terms:

• Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV): Any vehicle that doesn't rely solely on petrol or diesel. EVs are a type of AFV.

• Direct Current (DC): The type of electricity used for fast charging.

• Home charging: Plugging your EV into a charger at home to replenish the battery overnight.

Got a question about an electric vehicle? Contact the Sandown team today.