Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Terminology

All-electric vehicles (EVs), also mentioned as battery electric vehicles, use A battery pack to store the electricity that powers the motor. EV batteries are charged by plugging the vehicle into an electrical power source. Although electricity production may contribute to pollution, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency categorizes all-electric vehicles as zero-emission vehicles because they produce no direct exhaust or tailpipe emissions.

Both heavy-duty and light-duty EVs are commercially available. EVs are typically costlier than similar conventional and hybrid vehicles, although some costs are often recovered through fuel savings, a federal decrease, or state incentive.

Charging Infrastructure Terminology
    The charging infrastructure industry has aligned with a standard protocol, the Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI) protocol. Therefore, charging infrastructure counting logic within the Station Locator aligns with the hierarchy defined in OCPI: stations, ports (referred to as electric vehicle supply equipment, or EVSE), and connectors. The Alternative Fuels Data Center and therefore the Station Locator uses the subsequent charging infrastructure definitions:

• Station: called a “location” in OCPI; a collection of one or more EVSE at an address. A station has one or more EVSEs at the same site. A parking garage or a mall parking zone could be considered a station.
  • EVSE: the technology that controls the energy supply to a single PEV, also called a port. An EVSE cannot charge quite one vehicle at a time.
  • Connector: the socket or cable available for a PEV to use. A single EVSE may have multiple connectors and connector types (such as CHAdeMO and CCS) but only one may be used at a time. See the DC Fast Charging section below for more information about connector types.

Charging Equipment
Charging equipment for PEVs is assessed by the speed at which the batteries are charged. Charging times vary based on how depleted the battery is, how much energy it holds, the type of battery, and the type of charging equipment (e.g., charging level and power output). The charging time can range from less than 20 minutes to 20 hours or more, depending on these factors. Charging the growing number of PEVs in use requires a strong network of stations for both consumers and fleets.

For information on currently available charging infrastructure models, see the electrical Drive Transportation Association’s GoElectricDrive website and connect America’s Get Equipped resource, which includes information on charging networks and repair providers. When choosing equipment for a specific application, many factors, such as networking, payment capabilities, and operation and maintenance, should be considered.

Charging Infrastructure Procurement and Installation
Increasing available public and personal charging equipment require infrastructure procurement. Learn about the way to successfully plan for, procure, and install charging infrastructure.

Charging Infrastructure Operation and Maintenance
        Once charging infrastructure has been procured and installed, it must be properly operated and maintained. Learn about charging infrastructure operation and maintenance considerations.

Additional Charging Options
      Another standard (SAE J3068) was developed in 2018 for higher rates of AC charging using three-phase power, which is common at commercial and industrial locations within us. Some components of the quality were adapted from the ECU three-phase charging standards and specified for North American AC grid voltages and requirements. In us, the common three-phase voltages are typically 208/120 V, 480/277 V. The standard targets power levels between 6 kW and 130 kW.

Extreme fast chargers (XFC), which are capable of power outputs of up 350 kW and better, are rapidly being deployed within us. While XFC is currently available from several charging manufacturers, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office is pursuing research that will bridge the technology gaps related to implementing XFC charging networks in the United States. A highlights technology gaps at the battery, vehicle, and infrastructure levels. In particular, most PEVs on the roads today are not capable of charging at rates higher than 50 kW. However, vehicle technology is advancing, and most new EV models are going to be ready to charge at higher rates, enabling the utilization of XFC

Inductive Charging
      Inductive charging equipment, which uses an electromagnetic field to transfer electricity to a PEV without a cord, has been introduced commercially for installation as an aftermarket add-on. Some currently available wireless charging stations operate at power levels like Level 2, though this technology is more common for transit or other fleet operations at higher power levels comparable to DC fast.