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New to electric vehicles and not sure what everybody’s talking about? Here’s all of the EV jargon you need to know, in plain English.
Alternating Current. The type of electricity flow used for home EV chargers. This goes via the car’s onboard charger before it can be stored in your battery.
An API (Application Programming Interface) allows access to information about your car via your manufacturer’s smartphone app. Providing your login details in the Ohme app allows Ohme to access your car’s current state of charge. This is used to work out how much charge you need. We are currently integrated with the following APIs: Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, MINI, Nissan, Renault, SKODA, Tesla, Volkswagen
A battery powered car which is charged when plugged into mains electricity.
This is the amount of energy a battery can hold (and is often converted into achievable range). This reduces over time as the battery degrades.
Sometimes referred to as charge speed, this is how quickly electricity is being accepted (or can be accepted) by your EV.
These are your default charge preferences. You can create these in the My Charger section of the Ohme app, so that your car charges to your desired amount by your preferred departure time.
Combined Charging System. This is a standard EU fast charging system.
Chargers either have cables connected (see Tethered) or you need to plug in your own (see Un-tethered). The ends of these cables can have different connectors. Most EVs manufactured post 2018 need a Type 2 connector.
Charge Point Operator. These are companies who own and run public chargers.
Direct Current. The type of electricity flow used for public chargers. This is faster than AC charging as it goes straight to the battery without having to go via the car’s onboard charger.
EV batteries are made from lithium-ion (like laptop and mobile phone batteries). They work by the movement of lithium ions. Each time you fully charge and discharge the battery, the reaction causing this movement within the cells becomes less efficient which means that, over time, the battery can hold less charge and discharges more quickly.
A tariff which has periods of cheaper off-peak electricity, usually overnight when fewer people are using electricity.
Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme. This is a government grant which allows eligible drivers to claim up to £350 off their charger and installation costs. More info here.
An EV that runs off energy created by a chemical reaction between hydrogen and the oxygen in the air.
Internal Combustion Engine. These are traditional petrol and diesel vehicles.
Kilowatt. This is a measurement of power. When you check the specs of your EV, you’ll see your onboard charger has a charge speed listed in kW. This is how fast your EV can charge with an AC charger.
Kilowatt Hour. This is a measurement of energy. When you check the specs of your EV, you’ll see your battery size is listed in kWh. This is how much energy your battery can store. You might be familiar with miles per gallon which helps you work out how far you can get with a full tank of fuel but, with an EV, think of miles per kWh. Find out more here.
A feature in the Ohme app which temporarily disables all charge schedules and smart features, to charge your car as much as possible at full power.
A petrol or diesel car that also has a small battery that needs to be recharged with power from the mains.
Power cycle is the act of turning the charger off and on again from the main circuit breaker.
This is how many miles you can drive your EV without needing to charge. The range you can achieve may vary depending on driving style, weather conditions, and your EV battery health.
Range anxiety refers to the worry that you’ll run out of charge before you reach your destination. Most EVs can go between 100-300 miles on a single charge, so although it’s the most common fear among EV drivers, it’s mostly irrational.
A type of hybrid EV that has a small petrol generator to charge your battery when range is depleted, allowing you to drive further.
Cars with regenerative braking can recycle the energy used when braking and store it back in their batteries. Find out more here.
An intelligent charging system that optimises charging through data connections. Ohme chargers work out the best times to charge based on your current energy tariff and grid conditions.
Stage of charge. How much energy is in your battery? This will be presented as a percentage in your car or car app.
A tethered EV charger, like the Ohme Home Pro, has the charging cable built-in. To charge, you simply unwind it and plug it into your EV.
A trickle charge refers to a very slow charge speed. The lowest speed a car can safely charge is 6A / 1.44kW.
A time of use tariff offers electricity for lower prices at certain times of the day when fewer people are using electricity. This encourages customers to use electricity at off-peak times, helping to balance the electricity grid. These cheaper periods are typically overnight, making these tariffs popular with EV drivers who charge their cars while they sleep.
A type-of-use tariff offers electricity for lower prices when it’s used for certain purposes, like charging an EV. Type-of-use tariffs are popular with EV drivers as they allow them to top up at cheaper rates.
Ultra Low Emission Zone. Drivers without a low or zero emission vehicle will be charged a daily fee for entering the zone without a compliant vehicle.
An un-tethered EV charger, like the Ohme ePod, doesn’t have a charging cable built-in. You’ll need to plug a separate charging cable into the charger and the car itself to start charging.
Vehicle to Grid. This allows drivers to fill up their batteries and then send this energy back to the electricity grid, often earning a cash reward for doing so. This technology is still in early development and not supported by Ohme chargers.
Vehicle to Home. This allows drivers to fill up their batteries and then use this stored energy to power your home. This technology is still in early development and not supported by Ohme chargers.
Worldwide Harmonized Light vehicles Test procedure. It’s a test designed to give a more realistic view of a car’s range and fuel efficiency.
This can be anything (a car, a company, an energy source) that emits no greenhouse gases.
